The Dragon Homeland
by Zhampy
Summary: Quest, Colosseum, Elite and Hoennshipping ahead! Chapter 8: Ryuin has a new Accomplice? Well, that flying ship will certainly help him get back the Blue Orb at any rate. DISCONTINUED
1. Initiation

The Dragon Homeland

_He drew his sword high above his head and brought it down with almost inhuman speed slaying yet another Warui. The disgusting creatures had surrounded him and his fleet as they had attempted to reach the Temple and Karada. The Warui had ambushed the remains of the Owari army with the intent to destroy all obstacles in their path to glory._

_These wretched spawn of Ryuin were dark creatures born from sins and shadows, they fed of off all the negatives in the lands and fueled their twisted leader into crimes no one thought capable. Grey and mutated the simple-minded Pokemon attacked without conscious thought as they ripped through his men. Long decayed yet strong claws tore at his ride; the Rapidash threw him to the ground and blazed into spawned evil. He watched as his prized Pokemon fought valiantly, spitting searing fire and bucking wildly as the Warui brought its armored tail upon the vulnerable Rapidash. The blood stained horse stood no chance as it was trampled into the ground by any surrounding Warui._

_It'd been like this for the past six months. He'd seen his friends, family, partners and Pokemon crushed as Ryuin tore forward with his armies and insane motives. The magnificent sword his held with a trembling grip bore the motto of his homeland; "Ride to Death". Ryuin was now trying to take his homeland of Owari, the last free region of Tatsu and he'd be damned if he'd let that happen!_

"_Rally to me! Rally to me!" He called of what remained of his fleet; the men and women quickly surrounded him panting with adrenaline as the battle raged on around them. "We attack the darkest spawn! The rest will fall!"_

_Without any hesitation the small group of Tatsuians positioned themselves in their usual battle stance. Swords drawn backs straight, flags flying. However this time, for the famed 'Blazing Dragons' the outcome looked bleak. Outnumbered by nearly ten-to-one they charged forward ready to give their lives to protect their home._

_Arrows flying from both sides expertly picked off the strong and weak, as the Rapidash mounted warriors rained down upon the Warui. With ultimately trained speed the Blazing Dragons pounced form spawn to spawn skewering the abominations of nature with precise slashes and thrusts of the sword. The battle had to be won! If Owari fell then the entire Tatsu population would succumb to the intense power of this Legendary and the army it had created._

_Master Kravos, their Leader, King and Dragon Master had to be kept safe. The Karada System must not fall into Ryuin's clutches! It Mustn't!_

_However all things seeming futile they had won. For now…

* * *

_

Banners flapped in the gentle breeze as several Pidgey fluttered past to land on the flagpoles supporting them. They peered down at the scene with mild curiosity, humans sure were strange.

The Indigo Plateau was alive with activity as trainers, contest-goers, office workers, breeders and other such people scurried around lost in their own little worlds. The Pidgey took flight once again; this time of the year was always the best for scavenging at leftovers. Not only were humans strange but they were also very wasteful, leaving perfectly good food just lying around untended or forgotten.

A single relatively small Pidgey was knocked off course by an unexpected updraft and carried from the group to a window situated well above the mess of people below. Smack! The poor bird crashed into the closed window and teetered dangerously at the edge of the ledge.

((Oh dear!)) the Pokemon jumped to it's senses. What was that voice just then? Was it Psychic? ((Poor thing, here let me help you.)) Just as the tiny bird was flitting around with worried 'coos' the window opened slightly.

A man in a crisp suit and tie reached out his hand to the Pokemon Who're you

The young man chuckled and his eyes glowed with a gentle purple hue as he spoke again ((I'm William Ira Morag. Are you hurt?))

The small bird ruffled his feathers No The man chuckled again.

((What ever were you up to, didn't you see the safety smudge?)) He turned back into the room as a small pink Pokemon came floated in. God! Mew! No that wasn't, can't be right! The Pidgey watched curiously as the Mew hovered near Will and gave him a black eye-mask. The purpled haired man accepted it gratefully and saunted towards the door, Mew in tow.

Without even touching it, the door handle turned, clicked and opened. He the tilted his head back toward the bird on the ledge and smiled again, ((You take care then.)) And he was gone, down the hall.

* * *

The room were those gathered together, Pokemon and Humans alike, sat in a respectful silence as the man stood up to address the council. This young man, who had the most respected trainers of the world waiting patiently on his words, had chin length white bangs and hair swept back into a 

loose ponytail almost touching the circular platform he stood upon. His confident posture suggested he was at ease with the multiple eyes of people who could easily snap him like a twig in battle watching him with interest, however his green eyes gave away his calm composure. Dilated and shaking. He was sure he would stutter or scratch at his scar and he certainly didn't want to offend the others in the room if he wanted to get away with his mind still intact.

He bowed slightly. "On my honour as a Bonded, I will lay down my," he then gestured to the Pichu, Bulbasaur and Vulpix at his feet with his hand "and my Pokemon's lives, for the League and the greater good…" With his head still bowed he began to sweat. _What was the next line again?_ The blue freckled egg he held to his side wiggled in his grip.

((Whether my own judgements favor or rival what is ordered of me.)) A tiny Psychic voice ringed in his head.

Relieved, he continued his oath "Whether my own judgements favor or rival what is ordered of me." Rising to his full height one again he sent his helper this thanks through his mind.

Resisting the nearly over powering urge to scratch at the scar on his face he watched as the man with purple hair, crisp suit and small black eye mask rises from his seat at the head table.

The Head Table itself was situated high above the lonely podium were countless trainers knowing far too much for their own good had pleaded for their sanity to the exact same people now holding this initiation process. The five people sat in shadows, even though everyone who hadn't been living under a rock knew these remarkable people. The Elite Four and Supreme Fifth. But only the handful of people in the room at the present knew them for who they really were. And what they were capable of.

To be fair the rumours were running a little wild, but celebrities and rumours walk hand in hand. You either believed the stories flying around or didn't. It was that simple.

Rumours aside the general public knew their fair share about each Master. The young man with the mask that had just stood was the first Elite. William Ira Morag. At the age of nineteen he had blown up to the rank he now, four years later, still resided in. Specialising in the Psychic Pokemon he wielded, mysterious stories were told of him controlling people through hypnotism. He seems harmless enough at first glance though. 'Believe or don't believe' as it goes.

Next along in Rank was Tea Stoma Flank. A stern man ripe out of the army and like all would have you believe he did use Electric Pokemon. Most arguably among the other Masters he was also the most sinfully boring person in the world. Silent, strong, smart, an amazing strategist yet a complete bore when in company. Being the newest member or the Order and constantly under the eye of others, he is the most talked about among trainers around the Pokemon world. His age of thirty-four has raised eyebrows of why he suddenly decided to pull his talent from the military to be accepted within the Master Order.

The white-headed teen tuned his thoughts to the next Elite. A sporty blonde girl mastering the Water type. A young girl with only eight years of training under her belt had risen to seat as Elite third. People couldn't stomach it. Many older and more experienced trainers had fallen at the mind crushing power of Morag and his talent. How could a girl with such little experience do it? Well as Abby Vikki Aquan would tell them: "It's not about how long you have been training. But how much you trust and give your heart to your friends that fight for you." Fair? Maybe. True? Not always.

Now, the second in command should something, God forbid, happen to incapacitate the Supreme Fifth, is twenty-nine year-old Karen Kurai Blake. An absolute nightmare to face on the field. Should any trainer reach her challenge an unbearably long battle will be pulled on. Up to record the longest battle Miss Blake staged with a challenger was twenty-one hours in length. The paparazzi loved it; it was the most exhilarating battle in recent years, short of a record by a mere six minutes made by Master Kravos himself. Now Blake and her Dark Pokemon loved to see the panic in the opposing trainer's eyes and therefore her strategy consists of a wide variety of status affecting attacks. Apparently she is not as sadistic when off the field, but a pleasure to be around.

The Supreme Fifth seated at the far right side of the table, as the Pokemon Champion, is Lance Shinu Anson. The Dragon Master. At the age of twenty-six, married to Lorelei Mist Anson with the couple expecting a baby in the up-coming month. According to an ever-popular rumour he is foreign to Kanto, Johto, the Orange Islands, Hoenn and Orre but comes from a Country laden with Dragons called Tatsu. Of course the man has never once commented on it or his peculiar accent. Anson and his twin brother Vance were some of the rare trainers to actually meet The Great Kravos in person, when they were very little children. A trademark of the younger Anson is his prized White-eyed Dragonite, a blind Dragoniteas matter of fact.

Back down on the platform unaware of what the Pokemon residing in the egg was doing the young man continued to listen as the Elite First continued the initiation. "You understand that being Bonded with a Legendary is no meager thin? Of course there are other non-trainers like you who have Bonded, but we all agree a Master is more capable when facing other Legendaries in battle…" He trailed off waiting for a response.

"Oh no, I'd like to be Bonded. I may have only known IceMist a short while, but we have a connection. I can tell." He could always act confident, but he really wanted to hide in a dark corner somewhere far away.

Will sighed, "Fine. Now since we have your spoken word we'll now need your written word." He levitated the necessary papers to the boy on the platform. "Sign next to the 'x' please." He began the long task of reading and signing his pledge to both the Indigo and Hoenn League.

The Pokemon egg in the boys tight grip, being an extremely powerful and incredibly rare Pokemon, or it's Master wouldn't be here, could sense every little thing surrounding it and create a mental vision of where it was. Using its already powerful Psychic abilities the little white winged creature began scanning the Masters minds.

((Mummy? Where are you)) The Psychic voice squeaked. ((Now, if I were Mummy I'd be with, this William fella here…)) She broke off to peer into the Elite's mind.

The Elite jumped slightly at the invasion to his mind. _Must be a strong Psychic that little Lugia _he thought Abby gave him a worried look, he shook his head as Karen and Lance leaned forward slightly to peer at him. With that small gesture the three turned back. The Psychic continued his speech out loud to his fellow trainers while his inner eye searched the baby Lugia out. ((Hello little one.)) He smiled mentally, ((What can I do for you?))

The Pokemon stirred a bit within its confines, ((I was looking for Mummy, do you know whom Mummy is with? Mummy said she was with one of you humans.))

Will mentally smiled again. ((She is with Lance ))He flicked his eyes over to the man with red spiky hair. ((Ask him. He's used to Psychics; well I'm always reading his mind anyway. You'll have to read his mind too.))

((Thank you!)) The Lugia clapped her wings slightly. She cut the connection and left him to his job and connected to this other mans mind frequency.

Lance sighed silently, _Mew this is borin'. I'm sure these things get longer each time._ He sighed again. _I jus' wanna go home groom Dragonite, watch football and eat crisps. I wonder 'ow Blackthorn city are doin'… losin' again I bet. _Sigh. He winced when he felt the connection._ WILL!_

The Pokemon giggled as his train of thought continued of what would happen if this Will read his mind again. ((Sorry mister. This is IceMist.)) She said when he was done, ((But I was looking for Mummy. Mister Will said Mummy was with you, and that I should contact you. Can I talk to her? Please?))

The redhead tilted his head to one side slightly. _IceMist eh? Yeah, you'd be Aura's hatchling then?_ IceMist nodded. _Ok, I'll get 'er, 'old on a sec._

As Mother and Daughter talked, without a Dragon Master eavesdropping, the meeting went on. "So you accept all responsibilities tha' come with bein' aligned with a Legendary then?" Lance was saying.

Yet again the soon-to-be new recruit was nervous. The ceremony was next, and he'd heard things…

"Well, if no one 'ere 'as any objections." The Dragon Master waited. "We will begin the ceremony."

The young man twisted his body around to see the Masters leaving their seats, those no longer needed left the complex, while the Elite Four, Champion and higher Gym-Leaders remained. A Woman adorned in the League symbol, a viciously angled green 'L', led him over to another podium, his Pokemon trailing him closely. Now he could see the Masters more closely.

Nearest to him was Abby. Thin lass, blonde hair trailing to her lower back and thanks to his Lugias abilities he could plainly see her sparkling blue eyes. True to herself she was wearing a sky blue tank top and baggy combat trousers. In short she was kinda pretty he guessed.

Across from her was the former Ghost Elite and her student, Agatha and Morty. The elderly woman was still held as an authority figure, for good reason. She still had it in battle. The Gym Leader by her side, well since he wasn't saying it out loud, he could tell why girls fawned over him. Blond hair blue eyes, typical. But he had shook his hand as he passed.

Further down the line was Clair, Blackthorn Gym Leader, and by the looks of it a Blackthorn city fan. She was proudly wearing their football shirt, probably called here from holiday. Well she seemed nice enough, shook his hand but didn't do much else. Opposite Lance's cousin was Will and Tea. The Psychic boy in his 'spiffy' came to mind, suit. That mask really did make him seem the mysterious stranger. The Military foot soldier had a Raichu under his feet and kept nudging it behind him when they shook hands. Will wouldn't touch him though. Why?

Maybe he didn't trust him, or it could be that he was Psychic. It didn't really matter anyway…

Karen was smiling at him; she shook his hand gently. Actually she did seem completely different off the battle arena. Nice. The young woman had long silver hair she was constantly, he noticed, brushing back over her shoulders but it wouldn't do as it was told.

When he reached Lance the Dragon Master turned and stepped unto another platform, gesturing with his hand that the other should follow. When the platform lit up with hundreds of tiny white lights the Champion began to explain.

Lance whirled round his cape flowing at his movements, "This is the Karada system," he explained as the group walked over to small circular machine in the centre of the platform. He looked down at it. It had a small seat suitable for a single person, a head set. "The body system." The Champion commented and looked at the teenager at his side. The poor boy was so nervous and his face lost all colour as he the noticed shackles for ones wrists and ankles. Lance laughed, " Don't worry. We only use em in an extreme situation."

"Yup!" Abby came up behind him, "Like when we know someone is hiding something and won't tell us" she said with a smile.

"Of course we don't start a vendetta against just anybody," Will added. "They have a fair trial, but sometimes there just isn't time."

"What does this…thing do?" The trainer asked.

Agatha trudged over to lean on the machine. "My Great Great Grandmother salvaged it for the remains of an ancient civilisation. Surly you have heard of the rumours that Lance and Clair coming from a country far away." She glanced at the two Dragon trainers, Clair had turned to brush invisible dust of her cape and Lance was fiddling with the Karada Machine. Agatha continued "Well the people of that land lived with many Dragons. They built a wall to surround their land, the Takai Kabe. They did it because they could see what our ancestors would do in the near future. And well … well that's enough chit-chat. Lance, Clair get this thing running."

The white-haired trainer stooped down to his Pokemon's level to pet them, holding the egg tightly to his chest. The creatures mewled as he ran his hand through their fur. He didn't notice Morty approach from behind.

"Do you want to know what this does?" He questioned.

The other trainer started. He flipped around nearly throwing his egg to one side and sighed. "Yeah, and what are all these lights for?"

The blonde sat next to him on the floor and waved his hand forward toward the hundreds of little white light under their feet. "These little lights represent all the trainers that have passed through the Karada Machine and Bonded with a Legendary. As you can see there's a lot, some even Bond with two or three. You'd be surprised just how many Legendary Pokemon there really are. You see this small clump here?" He gestured. "That's us. Look if you count the lights here there's one, two…five…eight. Eight and eight of us have been through the machine. When you go through it you'll show up too." Morty hopped up to his feet. " This whole platform is a map of the world"

Karen slid over from the K.M and joined the explanation. "Look, if you gently touch the light" she did so "the name of the trainers name appears." As she was wondering around a light suddenly jumped from a blinding white to a violent red.

"Oh! That light! It turned red. What does that mean?"

Karen and Morty whipped round to him then the light. The light itself was relatively in a bald patch, only one other light was with this red one. And if they were any closer they'd be on top of one another. Morty sighed as Karen hurried over to it. Morty and he followed. She knelt down and ran her hand over it.

"That is Wesley Grammar, from Orre. He's always getting hurt. See here." She hovered her hand over it again and the cause of the incident lit up in pleasant blue writing.

The trainer leaned forward. "It says here he got 'physical bodily harm.'"

"Meaning 'e got into a fistfight again" Clair translated from were she stood at the KM.

"We had to have Clair, Vance and Lance translate it for us. It was originally in a whole other language" Morty said.

The trainer scrunched up his nose "Who's Vance?"

Lance huffed "My brother."

"Twins they are. Vance is older by 'bout two minuets." Clair commented then laughed. "Vance and Lance. Parents can be cruel." She continued to snigger to herself.

Morty leaned in "Vance ain't all there though. Got a nervous twitch and burns things if he doesn't get his medication" He whispered. "Lance doesn't like him here much."

"OK that's enough 'bout my family. This machine is workin' now"

Agatha motioned for the new comer to step over. "Now all this is going to do is bond you to your little Lugia ok darling? You might feel a little discomfort at first but it'll leave you eventually." When he walked towards it he could feel it drawing him in and he frowned, pulling against it. "Sit dear. It only pulls because it can feel a Dragon nearby. That's why Lance and Clair had to leave their Pokemon behind."

Slightly comforted with the explanation he sat. As soon as he planted himself on the seat the force of the pressure slammed his head against the railing. He soon found that no matter how hard he tried to move nothing happened. It was like someone else had control of his body. The voices of the Elite faded slowly away as his mind fogged over. Oh what had he gotten himself into now?

He could vaguely sense when someone turned the power up and the pressure hammered at his skull and he clenched his eyes tightly until he could see blood. The ringing in his ears, the hammering of his skull, the millions of tiny needles piercing his skin. Unbearable. Most likely he screamed. _A little discomfort my arse!_

This hurt like hell!

When he was sure he was going to pass out a wave of refreshing cool washed over him. He opened his eyes to see writing. Writing? Nothing else but a dim white light and writing scrawled across his vision. It wasn't even in a language he could understand. English and Orrent where all he cold read, this certainly wasn't either. _Well_, he thought _it must be that Tatsu language then. How am I supposed to read that then?_

However surrounding the script against the light he could see Pokemon and People everywhere. No matter what direction he looked in either a person of Legendary was seen, a Mew here, Articuno there, a couple Celebis zipping around. Everywhere. It was like a market day of some sort. Each person had a name floating along with him or her; Ashley Kelps, Zoë Butler, Brendan Birch, Sarah Barnes, Ash Ketchum, Maple Pats the names went on…

((I can Master)) a tiny voice sounded around him.

_IceMist, that you? _He thought to the voice. _Where are you?_

((Yes Master. You and I are on the Fringe.)) She could hear his confused face. ((Every human and Pokemon to be aligned together travels to the Fringe. We only have to answer the questions you see here. The Affinity has to know if we are compatible. So no lying Master, it can tell.))

_Questions eh? Well bring em on!_

The baby Lugia giggled. ((The first question is ' What is you name?' Well Affinity, my name is IceMist Clouds.))

_Um, Isaac Gio Nicks. _He could see the writing rearrange itself against the light.

((The writing says 'Hello, my name is Affinity'))

_Really? Heh._ The writing altered again.

((Next question is ' Do you know where you are?))

_Yes, the Fringe right?_

((Affinity says yes… Now it says to brace yourself'))

_What? AHHH! Damn._

((Affinity says sorry.)) IceMist watched as the Tatsuian letters sprouted others and formed something new for her to read. ((It says that we are compatible. Yay! Now we can stay together!)) She felt him smile and again the letters moved. ((Isaac? Master? Affinity wants to know if you will remain with the League no matter how desperate matters become? Will you remain by IceMist's side?))

He pondered a while _'Will I remain by IceMist's side?' Well of course! _The League though, he wasn't one to put blind faith into things he didn't really know about. But it meant that if he didn't stick by the League he'd lose IceMist before he even got to see her. _Well.. yes I will. I will stay with both the League and IceMist._

No sooner had he finished his sentence had the Tatsuian words melted down the light to a horrid red stain. No sooner had he breathed in a sharp gasp he was hit full force by an invisible hand and thrown forward into the blood. Everything around him dissolved into a red hued blur. He vaguely heard IceMist screech in pain before a scream pierced from his own throat.

The next thing he knew he was on the floor. On the floor clutching his neck with his hands and curled up into a ball around IceMist's egg, his trusty Pichu, Vulpix and Bulbasaur fawning over him.

Someone he remembered knelt down beside him and rubbed his back in soothing circles. Eventually he found the strength and courage to unfurl himself and found his feet. When he was vertical he tightened his grip on the egg and hid behind his bangs. Had he failed?

"Wow! You did it!" Now that was Mortys voice. Isaac inclined his head in the direction of the voice and found the Masters smiling at him. "You did it!" he repeated for lack of a better phrase.

"Did it?" he croaked as he turned to them, still hiding behind his hair. Abby bounded forward to him.

"Yup! Did it!" She hugged him tightly bouncing as she did so. "How does it feel to be aligned?"

Shocked by this turn of events and the sudden hug he stumbled to his knees. The Water Master eyed him carefully, worried. He lifted IceMist to eye level and stared. " But, everything went red. Bloody red! Reds not good I'm sure." He said quietly as he lifted his head to meet the others.

Morty volunteered "Yeah that was Lance and Clair. They did that" He pointed at the two Dragon trainers with a smile on his face.

Isaac looked to the two and inhaled suddenly. Both them had their backs to the rest of the crowd around him and were working with the Karada Machine. It kept pulsing and all the bright lights on the floor flashed from white, to red to blue, green and back to white again. It wasn't the machine he was gaping at but them. Both of them had a pair of Dragon wings protruding from their back. Clair's were long and almost had a feathery touch them, whereas Lance's were sharp with a black tint to them. Whenever either of them moved little sprinkles of Dragondust would rain to the floor and slowly dissolve.

"They had to stop Affinity from consuming you" Morty continued.

"Body and soul" Agatha added as an after thought. She shuffled over to him and leaned down as far as her posture would allow. "Does your neck hurt dear?" She asked kindly.

The trainer at his knees tore his eyes away from the obvious Tatsuian relatives still working to calm Affinity. He looked the Ghost Master in the eyes and nodded slightly, silently asking her why.

"You have been marked. You along with us belong to Affinity now. Karen?"

The silver-haired woman stepped forward and handed Isaac her pocket mirror. He took it with a shaky hand and examined the left side of his neck, sure enough there was a mark. A midnight black circle with the Indigo League logo overlapping the black ring. He touched it, and winced. Well it stung so it must have been burned on.

A soft click brought him back to reality and Lance and Clair wondered over, wings and all. Clair knelt by him and smiled. He gasped, she had fangs and yellow eyes, like a cat. He looked up at Lance and saw the same. She sighed.

"Affinity accepted you alright. How do you feel?" She asked. He did a pretty good impression of a Magikarp but nothing else came to him. When he tried to stand again a sharp pain stabbed him in his side and he yelped.

"Hurt?" Isaac looked over to Lance again, "No wonder. Affinity threw you half way across the room when we stepped in" He tilted his head to one side. Morty crouched and pulled Isaac's arm around his shoulder to support him.

Abby bounced up "Yeah, you went flying" She made a waving pattern with her hand, palms down, through the air. "You woulda flown further if Tea hadn't caught ya."

As Morty began to lead him out the room he mouthed thanks to the still silent Elite second. The other man remained silent but nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Lets get you a room then, you'll have to stay in the Plateau and away from the public till that mark dies down" Morty said. Abby and Karen followed the two out chatting about the recent events. Agatha trailed after Morty.

"So did you learn anything child?" She inquired of her student. He nodded and continued his work on keeping Isaac awake.

Lance and Clair left slowly. Clair saying she was going back on her break and Lance to see Lorelei and see how Blackthorn city did in their match.

" Not well is my guess."

" Porobably not."

The Electric Master and his Raichu left last leaving the Karada Machine and the blinking lights in the dark as he closed and locked the door behind him.

* * *

Notes

"Talking"  
((Psychic communication))  
_Thinking  
_Pokemon speech

Warui >Bad  
Shinu >Die  
Kurai >Dark  
Karada > Body  
Takai Kabe >Tallest Wall

Ryuin: An ancient Legendary Pokemon. Both Dragon and Psychic.

Warui: Insults to nature. Created with no independent mind and born from evils. Often referred to as 'Spawns' and 'Ice shatters'. Both Dragon and Ice.

Re-written.


	2. The Dragon Lord

Had to get rid of this chapter since my crappy computer can't handle a lot saved on it and since I have up to chapter four and a lot of my artwork saved, it stalls and deletes stuff a lot. Tis weird really.

Anyway, I plan on making this fic very long, so only one main incident per chapter for now.

On another note, why are people avoiding my fic? Is it because it doesn't fawn over Ash and Co? Or because it's kinda dark and isn't your typical 'trainer gets pokemon, trainer beats league' type of thing?I might end up just posting this up on Serebii forums at this rate,at least there I get a few rewievs.

Notes 

"Talking"  
((Psychic Communication))  
_Thinking _  
Pokemon speech  
'Phone calls'

The Dragon Homeland  
Chapter 2

It was a nice day he supposed, bright and hot just as he liked it. If it weren't for that damn ache in his side it would be a perfect day. He hadn't had many perfect days in his life, at least not until he had saved this girl. After that, things had improved, he didn't quite hate himself as much, and he didn't brood as much either. But _damn! _That Ache!

She was bandaging his chest. She was always with him, and always would be. He needed her, and although he wouldn't admit it she knew he did. This was one of those times. Ok, so he didn't need her at this precise moment but she was more talented in the healing prospect than he was, being aligned with a Phoenix would do that to a person. Wes was more in the business of tearing people apart, aligned with three of the Legendary Dogs. He called them Blazen, Frezen and Zapen. Her Ho-Oh had told her its name was Firewall.

Anyway, she continued to bandage his chest. He had gotten into a fight with a local thug in Pyrite again, near the Battle Square as people called it. The pair had discovered they were strapped for cash earlier and were travelling from Agate village to participate in a Colosseum challenge. She remembered a shifty looking guy had trodden on Lightsky's tail, the poor Espeon had yelped and catapulted his assailant several feet into the air near the valley.

While the Snagger was attending to his friend the other guy had thrown himself at Wes and shoved the heel of his boot into his ribcage. She remembered, with a smile, the look on the thugs face when Wes flipped to his feet and grasped the others throat. The Psychic girl knew all about the ex-Snagem members past, how he was beaten for not following orders, starved for simple mistakes and generally walked all over upon. He had told her he could mask the pain, and he could, he pulled it off like it was second nature. Whenever Shadow Pokemon attacked him he stood his ground or whenever a person tried to kill him, yet again, he simply disposed of the problem and shook it off.

Now this delinquent had hurt one of his friends and she could see the absolute fury in his eyes as he throttled the struggling man in his iron grip. Of course she had to step in and stop her 'Desert Prince' from 'murder by suffocation' or 'murder by throwing the thug into the valley till his dead body hit the Under.'

Now here they were, half an hour later hiding around the rear of the Colosseum.

"That bloody moron just had to run screaming din't he! Couldn't quietly crawl away with what little dignity he had left. No! Had to run to the Chief. Bloody git!" Wes had been ranting for the last ten minutes, suddenly standing up and pacing forward and back before he sat again, just to repeat the process as Rui tried to bandage him.

The orange haired girl snatched his wrist and pulled him back into his seat again. "You know… We'll have to contact the Plateau again. Just to let them know you're okay."

He huffed and pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged. "They wouldn't care. They only care about their Tatsu and Affinity crap." He waved both arms up in a wild motion. " It's all just a trap. A plot of some sort, they only want to keep tabs on all the Legendary Pokemon in the world. They just want to stay in a better position than other countries." He winced as Rui yanked at the bandage around his waist.

"Stop saying 'They'! It's Us now remember!" She ripped the bandage away from his body in her sudden anger. "We are a part of the Karada System now! Or do you want to leave the dogs? 'Cause I'm certainly not leaving Firewall."

"Rui…I"

She knelt down in front of him. "Look Wesley" He scowled. "You have to trust." He opened his mouth to say something but Rui cut him off, "and you know it's not a scam. We saw those Dragon people, and we went through that machine. It's true." She got to her feet and began to pack her bag; she returned over to him and gave him a Ho-Oh feather to hold.

He stared at it. A beautiful life-giving feather from a creature that could live forever. No matter what the bird did or experienced in one life it could learn from in it's next chance at life. Well he himself was in his second chance at life, and he'd learned from his past life as a Snagger that he was capable of trust after all.

In Rui

The world, even in the sparse lands of Orre, was capable of forgiveness. He sighed, "Fine…"

Rui giggled and hugged him. "So you trust the League?" He nodded. "And we'll help them in any way we can."

He sighed and dislodged the girl from his person and looked at her "But you can't use us that Ho-Oh feather trick for another month."

She backed away from him, arms crossed behind her back, and rocked back and forth on the heels of her boots trying to look innocent "Why what ever do you mean Wesley?"

He pulled his shirt on over his head "Yeah whatever. You can't use the guilt trip either. Can't get me to trust the League and get the last cookie all in the same day." Securing the Snag machine properly he wandered to the corner of the Colosseum building and glanced around. "Coast is clear." And with that he was out of sight, Rui on his tail sheepishly.

* * *

_"The main gate has been breached!"  
__  
"Pull your men back Gemini! Back to the Keep!"  
__  
The blue haried warrior heeded his Masters order then ordered his own troops to fall back. The soldiers from Owari, after their earlier victory, now had the task of protecting the Takai Kabe. The dizzying height of the wall had halted the Warui for the time being, although it was only a matter of time until the disheveled Pokemon derived a way either over or through it.  
__  
The Warui had battled their way through the Gyarados and across the moat to the gate-yard of the heavily armored castle hidden in the shadows of the wall. The moat itself was clouded with red from the fallen bodies of both Dragon and warrior alike and death, destruction and fear tainted the air.  
__  
The Tatsu had originally erected the wall to surround their lands and keep the people and Dragons safe from the disaster and ruin the Regions surrounding them wrought upon each other. However, despite the good intentions the City of Shoshin had intended by building the Takai Kabe it had backfired on the Dragons when the situation had become most critical.  
__  
The Takai Kabe had prevented those able to flee with its immense bulk, this however did not stop those trying to escape the death that trailed after them. Many a Pokemon and human had lost their lives to the great altitudes while attempting the journey over the wall. Attempting to break through it with average Pokemon was as futile as Master William in battle with Master Karen. Not only had the Takai Kabe blocked any escape and cut out outside help it had also fenced the Warui in with the Dragons. In short a death wish.  
__  
Now the warriors at war with Ryuin's forces had to deal with the repercussions. Every able body within reason had been called to this battle, many having seen too few winters and many having seen far too many. It was a poor sight to behold. And yet those with hope fought on regardless of the consequences._

* * *

"We received a call from Orre through the Karada System, an' indeed Clair, the Physical Bodily 'arm Mr Grammar suffered was in fact as a result of a fistfight. Miss Miru confirmed it, an' tha' everything is well." 

A head meeting had been called to introduce the new Isaac Nicks to the trainers he would be later working with. The Master trainers had gathered in the Indigo Plateau Karada meeting room, in the basement. The meeting room was in fact just a huge overly polished oak table placed to the right of the Karada Machine (KM).

" Right. I trust everyone is 'ere." Lance looked around and when not spotting nobody missing continued. "Today you'll be meetin' all us trainers who 'av an affinity with a Legendary, Isaac." He clapped his hands together, "An' lets make it quick I have tickets for the new Willie Wonker film."

"Well I'll introduce you to the people who spend a substantial amount of their time here dear." Agatha offered. "I'm sure you know all about these rumours floating around, but we'll let you be the judge of whether you believe they are true." She waved her hand to her right. "This is Bruno Slate, he is aligned with the oldest Regi brother, Regirock." The fighter nodded. "This young woman here is Lorelei Anson, aligned with both Articuno and the middle Regi brother Regice." The ice Master smiled gently with her arms wrapped her middle, unconsciously seeking her baby. "You know Will, he is aligned with Mew, and Tea and Abby here are aligned with Zapdos and Kyogre. Clair of Blackthorn isn't here at the moment but I'm sure you remember her, well she is aligned with Rayquaza. And lastly Lance is aligned with Lugia." Agatha finished.

Lorelei adjusted her glasses with one hand while the other remained wound around her middle and spoke gently. "Agatha and Morty are the only people the Karada system knows that can communicate with the deceased Legendaries. A virtually impossible feat." Isaac remained quiet while processing this new information.

Agatha nodded to the Mother-to-be and continued, "Well that is just about it for our Kanto and Johto natives, so from Hoenn these three children here are Stella, Helen and Amy Stone aligned with Moltres, Jirachi and Celebi. This is Steven Quartz Stone, aligned with the youngest Regi brother, Registeel."

The Supreme Fifth of Hoenn crossed his arms and leaned forward, "Thank you Agatha. Isaac allow me to introduce the Hoenn trainers." The Steel Master turned to his left. " This is May, the thorn in my side, aligned with Latias." The young girl scowled for it was a well-known fact the trainer had been after the title of Supreme Fifth of Hoenn since she'd first laid eyes on her Latias. The girl had dreams all right. Steven continued, "This young man is Brendan, aligned with Latios. Our Fire Master Flannery is aligned with Groudon." Steven finished with his charming smile.

Agatha took the Masters attention once again. "Of course nothing is perfect you must understand. The Karada System can bond a trainer and Pokemon, but it wasn't designed to keep them pure of heart." She sighed and clicked her tongue; " Reports of the Pokemon Mewtwo have been grim. Every soul on this planet knows the Team Rocket scandal, and their never-to-be-mentioned leader. If you must be forced to refer to him here, Isaac, he will be spoken of as _'Abunai' _and nothing else." When the kindly old lady mentioned this name everyone's faces darkened at the mere thought of his return.

Isaac shifted in his seat and giving in to the urge to scratch at the scar over his right eye, "So um, this A…Abunai man, is he really who I think he is? You know…" the boy bowed his head and hid behind his white bangs again. "Giovanni."

"Boy! You will _NOT_ say that hideous name again!" Bruno jumped from his seat and slammed his giant fists on the desk, splintering the fine wood. Isaac jumped and gripped IceMist. "Not near the Karada Machine! You hear me!"

"Bruno, calm yourself" Agatha ordered while pushing him back into his chair with her cane across his chest. The huge man complied with much respect for his former teammate. "He is still young, leave it be."

Lance shook his head, "Bruno, the Karada System can't be tain'ed by jus sayn' a name. It ain't tha' sophisticated."

The Hoenn girl aligned with Latias sighed, "Aren't we getting a bit off track here?"

Agatha turned to her, "Right you are May. Thank you." The elderly Master switched her attention back to the Fighting Master again. "Am I right to assume that even you, Bruno, don't know the full story behind Abunai and his actions?" The man mumbled something under his breath examining his hands for splinters.

Will started. "Surly you can't be thinking of telling them, you don't have the energy." He said, voice thick with worry.

The Seer shuffled around the table to the masked man; "I shall be fine, do not worry yourself so Mr Morag." She slowly made her way to Karada Machine, one of the Tatsu's greatest inventions. "Come Will, Morty, Lance. I wish to tell the boy, and fill in any blanks people may be harvesting in their minds."

Will stepped over to help her into the seat, Morty and Lance exchanged a worried glance. "Is this really a good idea, I mean I trust you and everything Teacher, but we could really use Clair here too." The Ghost student commented and the Dragon Master nodded his agreement.

"Yeah, this thing'll be runnin' for a while. I'm not sure I can stop it on me own…" Lance trailed off as Agatha glared, nothing would change that stubborn old mind.

Agatha turned her sights on Isaac again. "Now, we're just going to enter the System and travel to the Memory. There shall be nothing to worry about dear, we all shall be there."

As people began the operation May and Brendan wandered over to Isaac. "So you have a Lugia in there then?" The girl asked pointing to the egg and he nodded. "It got a name?" He nodded again.

Brendan slapped his back, which jerked the other forward, "What's with all the gestures? Ya a mute or summat? Say something!"

May kicked the older white-haired trainer in his shin, "Don't be rude!"

"I was only joking, sheesh."

"Well don't. Can't you see he's nervous?" The brunet said, hands on hips.

Isaac was watching them, and he was nervous. He'd never stopped been nervous since he'd got that e-mail from the Plateau; he had even been jumpy when he was unconscious after his initiation. If he clutched onto the egg any stronger he'd crush it. He didn't belong here; he was hardly a trainer. At the age of Nineteen, he had just three Pokemon to his name, Pichu, Bulbasaur and Vulpix. The Lugia? He was simply enjoying his favourite hobby of Fishing when he fished it out of the stream. Bulbasaur had whooped that Wishcash that had been trying to eat it, he didn't know it was a Legendary, just thought it was a normal Pokemon. Well the League certainly knew! And here he was. Deep in it, whatever it was. He was holstered from his thoughts when he felt a tug at his trousers. It was those three triplets.

"Hewo mister!" the little blue haird girl greeted when he looked down. He struggled, this was?

((Stella)). IceMist supplied him ((the other two are Amy and Helen. Bonded with Moltres, Jirachi and Celebi.))

_How can you remember all this? You're not even born yet._ He thought back.

(('Cause I'm better than you are.)) She giggled then resumed her silent state once again.

Isaac crouched down to the girls' height, "Hello. My name is Isaac. How old are you?"

Stella gave him a toothy grin "Two!" She held up two fingers to show him, "Hewen and Amie are too." The other identical girls shrank back but smiled shyly at him.

Isaac's smile brightened, he loved kids. " Really? Wow! You're a big girl then." Stella beamed; she also seemed to be the trio's leader. "Do you have a Pokemon, like this?" He showed her IceMist's egg.

The little girl shook her head; "Mine is a biiiiig birdie." She spread he arms as far as she could. " He's gowt fire all over his body, but I wike him. Mowltres."

The Steel Champion walked over to the toddlers and picked Stella from the ground, "Now this is important, petal." She giggled and hugged him around his neck. "Let Daddy and his friends work. You run along and play with Auntie Lori." Well Steven Stone was the father then; 'Auntie Lori' must be Lorelei Isaac figured. Steven gently put her on the ground again and the little girl led her gang to Lorelei at the back of the room.

Had those kids been through the Karada Machine too? Did they see the Blood like he did? If so they must be strong little critters, or maybe they thought it was a game and not real. But how could such young children be bonded with a Legendary? The mind boggled. Steven had approached him now.

"Come on Isaac, we're all ready to show you just what happened to Team Rocket." He led Isaac, May and Brendan over to the Machine that was the core of this Affinity situation. Agatha was seated with the headset on, Lance with his hand on the machine and what seemed to be the power switch with Morty at his side ready to stop them should something happen. Will was standing behind Agatha with his hands on the headset around the Ghost Masters head ready to protect the elderly woman's mind from the damages in the System.

"Alright everybody watch. Lance…" She nodded in his direction and the panel he had his hand on lit up a soft yellow and tendrils of that same light traveled to the headset. Agatha and Will closed their eyes to concentrate, while Lance was now fiddling with dials and lights on the machine.

A blinding white light flashed before his eyes and he was in the exact same place he had been before. No matter how tightly he clenched his eyes shut the scene didn't change. He did notice he wasn't alone this time, most of the people from the Karada Meeting room were with him. May and Brendan were still at his side. He gasped.

There May was, running her hand over a Latias' head. Brendan was scratching his Latios behind the tufts people called its ears. Isaac let his eyes wander round the almost blinding white light to each Master. Steven, the next closest to him, was standing beside the Steel Regi brother watching his three children and their Legendaries. Helen and Amy were spinning round in circles with Jirachi and Celebi, while Stella was giggling as her Moltres nudged her with its beak.

Bruno and Tea were each standing stotic with Regirock and Zapdos, although anyone could tell the Electric Legendary bird was itching to fly. The Ice Master was sat on Articuno's back as the bird wrapped its shimmering tale around her; Regice remained stationary beside her. Flannery had placed herself on a particularly menacing looking Groudon while chatting down to Abby who had also seated herself on Kyogre. From what he could tell Lance, Clair, Will and these strangers from Orre were nowhere to be seen.

In a far corner he could make out a group of Pokemon. Lugia, Mew, Rayquaza, Ho-Oh and the three Legendary Dogs shuffled around patiently. When the Lugia spotted him with its long neck it floated over. The magnificent creature towered above him, he was nervous again, but when it drew its wing back a tiny white torpedo flew at him. IceMist.

He hugged the creature tightly and he felt the baby Lugia mimic him. He looked down at it and found himself still holding the egg and the Lugia. What? When he tried to voice his concern nothing reached his ears, just then realizing that everything was silent. Not one person or Pokemon had made any noise, was he deaf?

((Silly Master)) IceMist giggled in his head. ((You not deaf, you have to have a strong connection to talk.))

He nodded, _So we have a strong connection?_

((Of course! We are Bonded. You have only just met these Humans and don't really know them. That's why you can't hear them or the Pokemon.)) She smiled her cute Lugia smile.

_Well how come I can see you here, but still have your egg. _He showed her the un-hatched egg.

((This is the Karada System.))

He sighed dramatically at her blunt answer Thanks. She giggled again. _Who are Aligned with those Pokemon over there then?_

The Lugia flipped round to see whom her Master was referring to. ((Oh, um I don't know. I'll ask Mummy.)) He watched with fascination at how the two Lugia communicated, they just looked at each other not moving or making a sound, then again it wasn't like he could hear them if they did. IceMist came back to him. ((The Mew is aligned with Mister Will, um, Rayquaza is with Miss Clair, Ho-Oh belongs with Miss Rui and the three Dogs have Bonded with Mister Wes. Mummy is aligned with Mister Lance. You see all those others?)) Isaac nodded. All over the room (was it a room?) Legendaries were floating around on their lonesome. ((They are Bonded with people who have died. Us Legendaries live a loooong time and these ones chose to remain in the System after their Affinity had left them. The other Bonded weren't called today. Mummy said they only come when it's a really urgent Call. There are a lot of us when we get together.))

IceMist came to rest on his shoulder and whispered in his ear ((Mummy says something is wrong ))He started again, IceMist continued ((We shouldn't still be here, we should have moved on to the Memory by now.)) Something is holding us here and Mister Lance isn't strong enough to pull us away by himself.

_What's coming? _

((Mummy says it's a bad Pokemon. A bad and old Pokemon that isn't allowed here any more. Mummy said he's breaking the rules and the Karada System doesn't like that.)) He was nervous for the umpteenth time that day and it didn't help that he could tell IceMist was nervous also. IceMist had never once been nervous.

The adult Lugia suddenly whipped her head to the center of the room successfully drawing all attention to itself.

"I think we're in trouble," Abby said to Flannery, the other girl nodded vigorously then frowned.

"But we can't get out on our own. What are the others up to out there?" The Fire Master stood on her Groudon's head "Hey! Lance! Agatha! Get us out!" She yelled upwards.

Articuno fluttered over to the adult Lugia. "What is it Aura?" Lorelei asked of it, the Lugia turned to her and mewled, the pregnant woman frowned slightly. "Can Lance get us out before that happens? Is there time?" Aura bowed her head.

"We're gonna die aren't we?" May asked. Brendan elbowed her slightly, shook his head and nodded in the Hoenn Champions direction. He was hugging his three girls as they whimpered against his chest. "Oops, sorry."

Everyone and everything against the light remained quiet as a soft rumbling could be heard in the distant atmosphere. Even Isaac could hear this. Aura nuzzled IceMist and flapped her way over to the center of everyone, Rayquaza slithering through the air closely after.

Brendan tilted his head to one side, "What _are_ they doing?"

Articuno, on Lorelei's command, made to move after them. "Aura, Drakeo?" Drakeo flinging his tail at Articuno however stopped her tracks

"This is insane" Tea muttered to himself. Bruno turned to him in shock. Had Tea just said something? Amazing! Wonders never ceased, too bad they might all die if Lance or Agatha didn't get them out fast…

Aura and Drakeo growled, as did Mistie and Sheen. The Latias and her brother then floated over to join the other two Dragons despite May's and Brendan's words.

The rumbling was overhead now and a wall of blue mist was setting in on the Masters. Something was really wrong. Lance or Clair had usually gotten them out before this had happened. The four Dragons were getting themselves riled up at this 'Bad Pokemon' the one neither human nor Pokemon had actually seen in centuries.

A gentle beam descended from the thick mist above them, wary of this new development no one moved. Their white background melted down to bloody red as the Karada System sensed the intrusion and yet nothing happened and still no one moved.

A foggy dark shadow was hovering above the beam of light now. The shadow reared to its back two legs to stand, two slited white eyes searching the group for a certain something or someone. When still no one moved the shadow drew closer, the dragons at its feet growled and snarled as it swished past them. The darkened creature waved a clawed hand and the mist dissipated leaving only itself hidden from view. Again it searched the group, more closely this time.

It moved past Bruno and Tea without sparing them a glance, Isaac, May and Brendan were also greatly ignored much to their immence relief. The shadow paused when in sighted Lorelei; she held her breath as Articuno tightened its grip on her. The strange creature eyed her carefully; she could fell its hot breath on her face as she continued to hold her own.

Abruptly a searing hot beam blasted through the shadow, the creature shrieked and whipped round to face its assailant its long tail catching the Ice Legendary in the head as it did so. Drakeco was snapping his jaw open and shut revealing razor sharp teeth while recovering from the Hyper Beam.

Articuno recovered from the unanticipated strike with amazing speed, it passed its Bonded to Regice called out its battle cry and aimed an Ice beam at the shadow. Again the creature shrieked as the freezing blue beam struck. The ice crackled as it began to grow on the misted form, the sheer power the creature released, however, shattered the spreading ice to thousands of tiny shards. It held out both clawed hands to form an energy ball and threw it behind it at the Ice Legendary. Articuno shook the baseball sized white energy ball off with one wing and took flight.

The four Dragons centered closest to the beam each threw their own trademark attack towards the Pokemon still partially clouded with blue mist, however this time the shadowed creature tossed out a purple barrier. Each attack ricochet off in a different direction.

The Pokemon took up its shield and shot back up towards the source of the blue beam, each Master and Legendary backed up but couldn't tear their eyes away. Even through all this no noise had been made, the only sound that filled the air was the constant rumbling the System was making.

With all eyes on it suddenly the beam convulsed on itself and radiated an energy ring and skimmed through each Master and Legendary. Every living being screamed as pain enveloped both mind and body. The blast of energy shook the four Dragons closest to it and threw them through to floor.

The other Masters and their Bonded's screaming penetrated his mind as he tried to protect his children, but there was little one could do. But what little could be done? Could he help? Surely both Will and Lance were doing their best, but this was an Ancient Legendary. An oddity among others. And apparently it never left the System, but remained to be constantly chased by the very thing it was living in.

If the others didn't get them out of here soon the Karada would obliterate them in its vain attempt to rid itself of this infection.

* * *

_'Stop!_ Stop, stop stop' Morty's voice pierced her mind. Showing unbelievable reflexes for a trainer her age Agatha jumped from the Machine and grabbed her cane whipped around and gasped. 

Both Will and Lance were on their knees in an obvious invisible pain. The Psychic was throwing his head side to side, and for what it looked like, trying to expel a presence in his mind. Occasionally he would fling his head back to yell, then resume tossing his head. The Dragon Master was gripping the side of the Machine so tightly his knuckles had turned white. Shaking violently the Dragondust on his wings would suddenly explode in a puff of colour and the wings would dull into a deep purple shade. Neither of them seemed capable of rational thought. What to do.

They just had to get Lance away from the machine.

However whenever either Agatha or Morty approached him the Karada Machine would exude an energy wave to knock them away from it power source.

Another scream escaped his throat as he tried to remain calm, if not for he then for his daughters as they clung to him almost painfully. That was when he saw it.

A light of hope.

Gathering his little girls as fast as his exhausted body would allow he reached out a hand to the tiny glowing ball. A Pokeball. The instant his hand connected with the ball confining his salvation he was teleported away from the dreadful scene only to witness the other.

He quickly passed the trio to Agatha and Morty and dropped the Pokeball to the ground. An amazing white flash later and the Masters salvation aimed a Psychic attack at the Machine and knocked Lance to the ground.

The Karada System stilled almost instantly as all signs of life halted. The tendrils of light retreated back onto themselves until they fizzed out of existence completely. Safe.

Another blinding flash of light and the others were ejected from the System and gently levitated to the floor by the Pokemon. And yet people still didn't move.

A shuffling from behind the Machine was heard and William Morag emerged, still clutching his head. "W… What hap…happened..?" He asked anybody, his voice course from screaming.

Morty ran over to him and helped him away from the Machine. "The System went haywire again. It was feeding off of Lance, like it did with Vance before. We couldn't do anything to stop it."

As Will sat down at the meeting table to rest his head the other Masters began to come round. May and Brendan were still clinging to each other like lost sailors, when they came to their senses they jumped away both blushing hotly. Bruno and Tea stood as fast as possible without saying a word, a silent battle between them to prove they were stronger than the other was.

Lorelei hobbled over to Agatha and Lance tightly clutching her middle. Agatha was leaning over the Tatsuian checking for a pulse. Of course he was alive just unconscious. The Ice Master followed Tea and Agatha out as they dragged Lance to the hospital wing of the Plateau. Both him and Lorelei needed a check-up after that. The other Masters quickly filled out after them.

Steven hurried the girls after Agatha, then turned his attention to his saviour and smiled.

* * *

"I can't thank you enough Mr. Grammar. You very well saved all our lives, and your Espeon is truly powerful." Steven was talking through the Karada System some hours after the incident to the trainers in Orre. 

A small wrist watch type machine was used to communicate to all those who possessed a KS –mini. Other functions on the device such as the Pokemon storage boxes in the Karada storage bay were available, and other such wonders. Lance, Vance, Clair and Brendan, being a technical whiz, had designed this device from Tatsu technology.

'No problem really, jus' tryin' to help' the Snagger's voice replied over the device.

"Very well, and also if you accept we would be more than happy to house you for a break from the Desert. If you and Miss Miru would like that." Steven could hear the pair discussing the offer in muffled voices.

'Yeah, fine. Rui'd like that'

"Excellent! We'll send a chopper to collect you. Be sure to be at the landing spot in Pyrite at five am. Good day." And with that said he left for the hospital wing.

Notes 

Miru - to see  
Abunai – Dangerous

A/N: Whoa that came and went fast. Right, I know the typical Dragon name Is DRACO but I wanted to be slightly different, so now it's DRAKEO. You still pronounce it the same though. I'm also aware that I missed out Deoxys as a Legendary, but I don't know squat about it. I've only seen up to the fourth Pokemon film.

As for the kid's dialogue… I generally try to avoid really young children like the plague and as a result don't really know how one would talk so that might explain something.

And also, I'm not too great at battle scenes, which is weird since this fic is all about Legendaries. sigh


	3. How to get Vance to spill

On another note, why are people avoiding my fic? It's got a number of views but few reviews, so either people don't like it or it's not what they thought it'd be.

Is it because it doesn't focus and preen over Ash and Co? Or because it's kinda dark and too long in chapter length. Well, if you _are_ reading this tell me what I'm doing wrong please…

Oh, I don't know….

Notes

"Talking"  
((Psychic communication))  
_Thinking_  
'Phone calls'  
Pokemon speech

The Dragon Homeland  
Chapter three

"I'm not gonna get to see this Willie Wonker an' the Chocolate Factory film am I?" Lance was in the Hospital Wing of the Plateau looking at his cinema tickets, and he wasn't happy! What were irritating were the fact he was bed-ridden and that insane Nurse that just wouldn't leave him alone.

Mercury Aquan. This overly protective woman was Abby's mother and claimed she knew everything about the Masters. From when they'd got Chicken pox for the first time to what syrup they liked on their ice cream. Lance found her insufferable, but she was only doing her job and he would remain polite, even if she wouldn't give him any peace. Surly there were others that needed her.

Lorelei was sat in the chair next to his bed. She'd had a quick check-up to examine the baby. The pressure from the Karada System hadn't affected her or the baby too much, from time-to-time she would suffer a slight dizzy spell and they were told the baby might mellow down slightly. Mercury had asked them many times if they wanted to know the sex, but the two wanted a surprise.

"Not if you're in here as long as Vance was the last time this happened." She told him with a smile, glad he had finally taken his attention off her and their baby. He had been just as persistent with her as Mercury had been with him.

He clasped his hands together in his lap, "An' it was an Open Bar too…"

The Ice Master jumped in her seat and clasped the baby; Lance whipped his head to her. "Oh! The baby kicked again!"

"'Cause I said 'Open Bar'?" Before he could even attempt to get up the elder Aquan had shoved him back down roughly. "Geez!" He winced, as his wings were virtually bald of Dragondust and very sore. "Some way to treat ya patients…" His attention was drawn to his wife again as she giggled at him and Mercury. Lance leaned over to her once the doctor had her back turned, "…Open Bar"

"Oh!" The little boy or girl kicked again. "I think we have a little Footballer here." She patted her stomach.

"Maybe 'e can play for Blackthorn Cit'y. They could use a good Striker, or Mid field, or Goalie…" He trailed off while mentioning all the bad players on the team, which was all of them.

Lorelei shot him a look, "What makes you think it's a boy? It could very well be a girl too."

He paled, "What a boy and a girl? _Two_?"

"No! 'Too'. It could be just a girl." She saw him breathe a sigh of relief. "What? You wouldn't want two kids?"

Suddenly he was very wary. _Hmmmm, what to say._ Of course he'd like more than one child, just not at the same time! Stevens's trio could wreak havoc when they got worked up, and he was a single Father! He had to think carefully about his words.

"Well of course! I'd love that!" He sighed " Jus' don't think I could 'andle em… is all" Him and his brother had never had a real family. He, Vance and Clair were basically the sole survivors of the Tatsu race. The Team Rocket scandal years ago had wiped out what remained of the clan. That was when they had met Master Kravos. When the greatest Dragon Master in history had sacrificed himself for the Shrine. Agatha had found the three among the ruins of Takai Kabe and taken them to the lesser shrine of Blackthorn.

She had heard of the Karada Machine her Great Great Grandmother had taken from Tatsu to study secluded region, Agatha had decided to do the same. However when she'd got there the Takai Kabe had fallen and the region was in ruin, the Rocket flag flying high above the recent war zone. When she introduced the children to the Karada Machine it had accepted the three in an instant without a trial. The System needed the Dragondust to function and the three children were all it knew to still be alive. Lance and Vance had been three while Clair was two, and as such they couldn't feed the System the energy it needed. As a result they had to remain in the shrine constantly to fuel the machine when it's energy levels depleted. Which it did a lot.

Lance and Clair spent their free time with the local Dratini and Magikarp. Vance however suffered a blow to the head when he was five. He had been secretly watching his brother and cousin battle with a Magikarp and Horsea. Clair's baby Dragon had landed a hit to Lance's fish with such intense force the red Pokemon had flashed an even deeper red with anger and evolved right there on the tiny island. White with rage the sea Dragon had swished its body around and caught the three aspiring trainers and sent them into the depths of the lake.

The current Dragon Master, Len, had sent his trusted Dragons to save them, but when the three Dragonite emerged with only two Tatsu children he commanded the new Gyarados to retrieve the eldest twin. A horrifying short while later the Pokemon had returned the lost child back to land. Vance had been in hospital for five months after that, and he was never the same again. Lance had never seen that Gyarados again and took it upon himself to constantly watch his brother and keep him from trouble.

Still believing it was their fault Lance had risen to Dragon Master while Clair had helped herself to the position of Blackthorn Gym Leader. Vance had taken it upon himself to become a Doctor in the Pokemon Attack Unit, that way he was helping other people and he himself was under constant vigilance. After the Gyarados incident he vowed he would help people and never Pokemon. He had Pokephobia.

He sighed again "I guess I'll 'av to take lessons from Steven or summat…" Lorelei remained silent whist starting at him so he changed the subject. "We still 'aven't agreed on a name either."

Lorelei turned thoughtful. "Well I always liked Amy, but that's been taken… so, um…how about, for a girl Mia?"

"No"

"Amber?"

"Nope"

"Crystal?"

"Uh-uh"

"Summer?"

"Don't you know any normal names?"

The eight-month along woman huffed at his unintended insult to her taste. "What have you come up with then?" She said a little too sharply.

The Dragon Master fidgeted slightly under her gaze. _Lugia is she emotional._ _Damn mood swings._ He thought a little longer on the matter, "Well I always liked Ryuin for a boy an' for a girl; Ryuanna."

"Two Tatsu names…" Lorelei pondered. "Tell you what…" she said with a bright smile after another swing. Lance's frown went un-noticed, was he expected to keep up with these swings? "If it's a boy we'll call him Ryuin, and if it's a girl we'll call her Mia." She said with an air of finality.

"Right!" He agreed with a mock salute.

"I see you've finally decided on a name them." A voice said from their right.

Both the Masters glared, "Have you been eavesdropping on us, Will?" Lorelei shot.

The Psychic man shook his head. "Many a true thing can be learned from eaves." He said mysteriously, Lance and Lorelei continued to stare. The man sighed and gave up "No I wasn't. Mercury just let me out." He emphasized the point by tapping the bandage securely tapped around his head.

The bed-ridden trainer frowned, "So she let you escape?" Will and Lorelei chuckled at his dejected tone. "How did you do it? Bribe her?" Will shook his head, he wasn't telling.

"Come on William Ira Morag, tell us how you did it. Lancelot has done nothing but complain about being stuck here." Lance scowled at his wife.

"Don't you be calling me that too." He mumbled under his breath. Lancelot was all Mercury would call him and he didn't like it one bit. The others laughed.

* * *

The beautiful Elite Fourth stood at the head of the oak table as yet again another meeting had been called, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and when she had everyone's attention sat in Lance's Dragon adorned throne-like chair. Resting her hands on two carved Dragonair armrests she began.

"The word from Mercury is that Lance, Lorelei, Agatha and Will are in perfect health." The Masters surrounding the meeting table breathed a sigh of relief that their friends were safe, although Isaac kept sneaking glances at the dreadful machine behind him. "We're here to organize the situation. Those of you aligned with a Legendary I assure you your Bonded are safe and unharmed. Mr. Grammar's Espeon successfully short-circuited the System and sent them home." Everyone sighed with relief again.

"Um, I'd still like to know what happened to Abunai, please." Isaac murmured just loud enough to be heard. The Dark Master turned to him.

"Sorry Isaac, but only Agatha knows exactly what went on, none of us are in a position to tell you." She apologised he nodded.

Bruno punched the table this time more gently (Isaac jumped) and glared at the air in from of him "Well, would someone mind telling me what that thing in the System was!"

Various others nodded "Yeah, tell us Karen" Brendan spoke up. "We've been with the System for a few years now. How come no one said anything?"

The woman sighed and ran her hand through her hair, "Well I'm not entirely sure myself, but from what the Tatsu have said it was once their God. An Ancient Legendary with such intense power it was cast out of the Legendary order. Apparently it was too ambitious and evolved far too quickly to be normal, the thing just wasn't safe."

"Do we have a name?" Flannery asked.

"Ah, well no. The subject is taboo and those few who do know something won't talk about it, kinda like the Abunai incident. People just don't want to think about it. I guess we'll just have to ask Vance. Lance said he knows more that him and Clair put together, being older an' all."

May whistled lightly "Well what ever it is I bet being aligned with it would get me the seat of Supreme Fifth of Hoenn _and_ Kanto."

Steven rolled his eyes, "Honestly May, don't you think about anything else?"

" But Vance won't come here." Bruno said trying to revert the conversation back to the Legendary, "The Plateau is teeming with Pokemon, he'll just faint. Or run."

May laughed, " More like die."

"_Anyway_, we also have to make accommodations for Mr Grammar and Miss Miru." Karen interrupted before the two Masters lost the plot. "That was a nice gesture you made Steven, but unlike Ever Grande we are soon to host the Indigo League. We have trainers, breeders and other such people running wild around the city and Plateau alike." Karen explained purposely ignoring the Vance conversation.

"Aw come on!" Flannery whooped. "This place is huuuge! Surly there's one room still available somewhere."

Karen shook her head, "At least not in the Masters Quarters, we're all booked up." She smiled slyly "People were willing to pay a lot of credits for those rooms, we made a fortune."

Abby lulled it over a while, "Well either those two will share a room with either of _us_ or we'll have to share a room with someone else and leave them to it."

"The most powerful trainers in the world and we're discussing living accommodations…"

Bruno elbowed Tea and received a dark scowl in return; "Quiet or Karen'll hear ya." The ex-Elite whispered as best as possible. "An' ya don't want her on ya bad side." Tea rolled his eyes.

No one spoke for a long while and eventually The Elite Fourth slammed her head into the chairs headrest and sighed violently. "Fine! I'll take care of it! Meeting adorned." No sooner had these words left her mouth had everyone vanished from the room leaving only the door slightly ajar.

* * *

The two single Masters in the whole Orre region sat waiting patiently for their ride to arrive. Every now and then one of them would glance up at the sky for any sign of a League helicopter, still nothing and it was ten minuets late already. Wes had always prided himself on punctuality, and this small matter wasn't sweetening his taste of any League.

"Oh look Wes!"

He glanced at his partner lazily, "Wha' are they here?"

The girl shook her head but still pointed to the sky," That cloud looks like a Larvitar." He sighed.

"And that one," he pointed to the left of the Larvitar cloud, "looks like a Celebi."

"So how are the taintless couple today? What schemes are you planning to unleash unto these innocent Leaguers?" A deep yet easily recognizable voice asked. In the next millisecond the boy aligned with the three Legendary Dogs was on his feet and snarling in the direction of resentful blood red eyes. The tall man glaring down at them narrowed his menacing eyes to slits and spoke in his rich handsome voice again. "Come now Wesley, you can tell me." The man glared harder and continued; "After all we are not strangers, and I do enjoy a tad bit of gossip when confined in my cell. My neighbors can be an awful bore."

"Do. Not. Talk. To. Us. Nascour." Wes dug the toe of his boot into the ground while speaking each word with venom.

Nascour heaved a disappointed sigh, "I had hoped we could have gotten over the past, but alas I seem to have been mistaken once again."

"Give it up! Your bloody noble man routine doesn't work on us!" Wes spat.

The former Cipher executive shook his head sadly, waving purple hair. "Now now Mr. Wesley, there is no need to resort to violence when I myself will not sink to that level." Wes growled loudly.

Rui came from behind her partner to address their old enemy, "What exactly are you doing here? Sherles should have locked you up!"

"And thrown away the key" Wes mumbled just loud enough.

The older man smiled, "Oh no need to worry Miss, I'm far from free. As you can see-" He indicated his blue one-piece outfit. " I'm currently employed in this community service act."

"Well nice talkin' to ya but we have a ride to catch" The Snagger replied in the nicest tone he could muster, "Come on Rui." An official Indigo League helicopter had landing in the Battle Square whilst the three had be talking.

Nascour made a move towards them, "So I assume you little children are taking a small vacation with the foreigners. Honestly Wesley, how can you trust them? What job have they offered you?" The criminal chuckled, "Are you their new Lapdog? How sad."

Rui scowled at the taller man; "I'll have you know, we're friends with the League! We're no ones 'Lapdog'!"

"Hmmmm, really." Nascour's controlled cold front continued as he switched his sight to the pretty young girl only several feet away. "Well tell me this Miss. Would these 'friends' of yours really want anything to do with either of you if not for your Affinity? Can you tell me that these Outlanders would willingly help you should push come to shove?"

Wes halted mid-step towards the helicopter and turned slowly back to the man, "How would you know of any Affinity?" He questioned carefully.

"Why I know my fair share, I have many sources all over the Regions and I'm most certainly sure I have plenty more information than this League. Lance or Steven, I'm betting I could out match them in battle and intellect any day."

Wes smiled sarcastically and crossed his arms, "My, aren't we a brag" he smiled more. " You really shouldn't make wagers you can't later keep."

The convict remained collected after the invisible insult, "Wesley!" He mocked hurt, hand over heart "Are we defending the Outlanders now? How touching."

"Stop calling them Outlanders" Rui said, Wes waved her to the helicopter.

"I was merely suggesting your battle skills and intellect are rather, how would you say? Non-existent."

The next moment before Nascour was even within a meter of Wes a crushing wind had set in and hurtled the aggressing man through the air. A cloudy vision of a sky blue, white diamond spotted dog with its magnificent purple mane flowing in a now progressing wind stood proud over Wes. As the North wind was graduating pressure it began to tear down the surrounding buildings with unbelievable ease, any lose object within the Pyrite area was lost to the sky.

Wes turned from the man to the helicopter as the wind began to carry it away; he ran his hand through the vision of the North Wind wisps of mist trailing after the movement and leapt for Rui as their ride took off.

* * *

Two hours after being released from the hospital wing Lance, Agatha and Will were examining the Machine. They had called Clair from her vacation to help them, and Lance had missed his film.

"So we have to get Vance somehow…"

Lance scoffed "I can't think of anything he'd not do t' avoid this Machine."

"Maybe we could lie." Will was scanning the headset for any indications that the Legendary was still relatively near this end of the System.

The Champion shook his head, "He may be a little out-of-it but he ain't stupid." Them going to him would be the logical answer, but the Indigo tournament was a mere six days away and a missing Master would raise eyebrows. The League wouldn't trust just anybody with a task concerning the Karada System so all the business of the League and System fell on the Masters.

Will thought a while longer "Well, I could try to _persuade_ him to come here. Y'know give his mind a little tune up and push in the right direction." He suggested.

The Ghost Master glanced at him from her book, "I somehow doubt Mr. Anson would allow you within the mere presence of him, let alone allow you to touch him, William."

The last time the Masters had attempted to gain information from Lance's brother they had used Will's highly advanced Psychic powers. The Elite First had connected to Vance's mind wave and left subtle commands that the Tatsuian should help with the Karada System. Clair and Lance often over did it when the System fed off of them and as such the whole System would shutdown due to lack of energy when the two blacked out.

The League tried to avoid this as much as possible as it would cause immense discomfort to the Legendaries living within the System, and not only that but it would put either Lance or Clair out of action for a short period of time. They had to be careful as to how much strain they put their bodies and wings through or they could easily slip into a short coma. It hadn't happened, but what they got from Agatha's Great Great Grandmothers log it often happened to the Tatsuians maintaing the System. Death was the eventual result from pushing too hard.

Anyway, since Vance had Pokephobia he was all too much aware of the fact that each Master had a roaster of at least six professional battle creatures as well as a Legendary each. He vainly tried to fight off any connection to Pokemon, but alas being the twin brother of a Pokemon Champion often put him in the limelight no matter how much he hated it. He accused Will of invading personal space and controlling his mind and as such the rumors of William Ira Morag began.

Will snapped his fingers together and announced his new idea; "We have this new couple do it!"

"Wha'? You mean Wes an Rui?" Lance asked with a tilt of his head. He tended to do that when listening or intrigued.

"Agatha, do you think that would work?"

The old woman scratched her chin in thought, "I suppose it's worth a try. Mr.Anson has neither seen nor heard of the Masters in Orre..."

The younger Anson turned to Agatha, "Tha' migh' jus work. But we 'av to think of a way they can get the information we need without raisin' suspicion. As I said Vance is quite smart with his medication." Lance said.

"We can leave the details and tactics to Tea," the Psychic smiled. " The Master tactician. I bet he could get information out of anyone. Even Johnny Tightlips." The others nodded.

Agatha made her way to the Machine and turned her questioning gaze to Will, "Do you sense the creature near William?"

The masked man shook his head slightly, "I'm afraid it has passed by my boundaries." He looked down at the Karada Machine; "It's like it can teleport from area to area. I just can't keep up with it and neither can the System."

"Well it is part Psychic." The Psychic and Ghost Masters turned to Lance sharply, he jumped slightly. "What? It is!" The two continued to stare so he continued, "It's part Dragon and Psychic… I think."

Agatha edged nearer to him, "How do you know that?"

The Dragon Master looked slightly disappointed by the question "Well I am the Dragon Master an' a Tatsu descendent, I can sense these things."

"Why haven't you told us before now?" Agatha demanded with a strict tone.

"I did, I told you last spring. You said you'd announce a meetin' while Clair and I were at the Blackthorn City finals."

A look of recognition passed over the elderly woman's face as she heaved a disappointed sigh at herself. "Right, right. I remember now." She leaned heavily on her cane; "Yes it was soon after William had contacted Vance. Sorry" Her voice contained a mix of disappointment, regret and tiredness. Lance and Will eyed her with concern.

"Are you ok Agatha? Do you need to sit down perhaps?" Will asked gently coming to stand behind her.

The ex-Elite shook her head and regained her posture, "I do believe I may be getting on in years. I am far too old for this."

Will scrunched up his face and Lance snorted, "I really don't think so Agatha. You crushed tha' Rocket Spy an' 'is Pokemon in mere seconds." Once, after hearing of an intrusion in the Elite common room Lorelei and Karen had found the woman holding a Rocket spy at cane-point, Gengar at her side.

Will laughed and moved next to Lance, "And you aren't even old in Dragon years. You'd still be a hatchling."

Agatha smiled at the two boys, "Well I may be getting on, but someone needs to be responsible around here." She chided gently and wandered out the door. The two men watched her turn the corner and followed soon after.

* * *

The Dragon Master's office was huge in comparison to the Elite's. Elaborately decorated with dragons, one could easily tell this was a Dragon lovers habitat with just their first glance. Covering every wall and shelf and hiding in every corner were carvings, paintings and sculptures of dragons. On the desk were Dragonair bookstands, a Dragonite themed chess set, even a Charizard lighter and a Dragon Ball here and there too.

The Dragon Ball was a new type of Pokeball specifically designed to make the capture of Dragons easier. The ball itself sported an ivy green top with two fang shaped white marks adorned on either side, the bottom was the typical white the Silph Co marketed. Both Lance and Clair had been given a set of ten prototypes to test, even though the two of them greatly disliked the idea of many trainers capturing that many dragons. They were nearly extinct anyway. The Dragon Type was the next predicted species to disappear from existence thanks to poachers.

The man himself was sat in his Dragon throne-chair behind his desk and rocking himself to-and-fro as he listened to the people seated opposite him. His most loyal Pokemon, Pepper the Dragonite, had his head on the desk also listing to the others in the room. The dragon had an amazing sense of hearing to make up for its blindness. It didn't particularly bother either Pokemon or Trainer, it just meant that Lance had to tell Pepper every little thing in battle.

Now Lance was fiddling with the Charizard lighter, flick the headforwardand the tail would light up with a flame. He loved it; Agatha had got it for him when he had first become Pokemon Champion of Johto.

The conversation between the Orre representatives, he had assumed they were representatives anyway, and Agatha was drawing to a close now. He'd been the submissive trainer while they conversed; he didn't know anything about Orre other than the fact it was riddled with Desert Zigoons. Good job he had Agatha, she seemed to be on top of everything.

" Now, we all trust you. We also dearly hope you can acquire the desired information." He did wish, however, given the fact she was an incredibly intelligent woman that she wouldn't use such proper words. Sometimes it did slightly confuse him when he tried to convert English into Tatsuian to understand.

The girl with orange pigtails nodded. "We'll do it. How hard can it be?"

"Be careful, though." Lance spoke for first time since they had come into his office. "Vance can get quite violen' if 'e thinks you are gonna 'urt 'im."

Agatha nodded in agreement. "I'm afraid you will also have to leave your Pokemon with us, dears." Wes shot a distrustful look at Agatha and a suspicious look at Lance.

The Dragon Master caught on to his train of thought and laughed lightly. " Don' worry Mr Grammar. I don' want your Pokemon, and neither does anybody else in the Plateau. We play by the rules 'ere."

"Well, what is all this about _Giovvani_ then? Apparently _he_ doesn't play by the rules."

Agatha and Lance winced. "Please refrain from mentioning that name Mr Grammar. Abunai he is called around these parts. You should avoid saying his given name at all costs, or you will find yourself in trouble" The Ghost Master advised of him. "And you are correct, the man never did play by the rules. But it is of no importance at the present time."

"He 'as left us." Lance said. "But you will 'av to leave your Pokemon behind. My brother 'as Pokephobia an 'e'll panic if 'e sees any Pokemon whatsoever. It's for your own safety." The two teens nodded and Wes passed his Pokemon over after some hesitation.

"Well, you have your objectives. We will call you a taxi so as to quell suspicion; you are headed to Saffron City. Good luck."

"Oh, we don't need luck." Rui replied with an air of confidence on their way out.

Agatha gave a hearty laugh. "Good! I know you have all the skill you need"

Lance held up Wes' Pokeballs. "These'll be in the pasture when you come back. They'll love it." _God knows a little green would do them wonders._

When the two Orre Masters had left with their guide Agatha turned back to Lance and shifted her weight on her cane to stand. " Now, a meeting Lance. In the Karada room."

He sighed with exhaustion and held his head in his palms with his elbows resting on the desk, he'd only just got settled when Wes and Rui had arrived. Now he had to get up again? Being a Master was hard work.

* * *

Sat, once again, at the large oak desk in the basement of the Plateau were Agatha, Lance, Will, Steven, Clair and May. The other Masters were either away from the Plateau or just couldn't be found. Many of them liked to hide in the most unusual places just avoid the eyes of the paparazzi and fans alike. The old Ghost Master preferred to linger on the roof of the building to watch the skys, whereas Lance liked to remain in the basement but not near the Karada Machine, he didn't like feeling he got from it when he was alone. No, he liked his little get-away where he would paint and relax. Lorelei often wandered off to the falls a short walk away from the Plateau, said it was 'nice and refreshing', however now she was pregnant Lance wouldn't let her go anywhere alone. Will was often found up a tree and playing his harmonica whilst observing the people and Pokemon that passed him.

None of them liked the cramped and stuffy meeting room, much less the Karada meeting room.

"Mr Grammar and Miss Miru have left to confront Mr Anson and retrieve the required information we seek. But, Lance, Clair, would you mind telling us just exactly what you know about Tatsu." It wasn't a question but a gentle order.

The Dragon Master leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms behind his head while Clair drew forward to lean on the desk. "From wha' we know, which we do admit is very little, there were four main coun'ries in the Tatsu region." Clair started.

_Death everywhere. No escape. Have to be punished. Have to accept your Destiny. Must fight forward. Must win.  
_

"An' each coun'ry 'ad an 'Elemental Dragon' to call their own."

_Four shadowed creatures trampled all underfoot. Nothing was left standing in their wake. Nothing was left alive, had the world abandoned them? Why had their God decided to punish them?  
_

"Waterstep, Gaia Villa, Breezecut and Firewood. The Elemental Dragons of Water, Earth, Wind and Fire had taken up house in each coun'ry."

"However, our Tatsu ancestors had designed and constructed the Karada System for a purpose still hidden to us. They had used the information gathered from the elements and our God was born from what they had discovered."

_Vicious clawed hands scraped against its confines. Eyes dilated and searching. It had to be here. They had to be here, somewhere.  
_

"Not only did they create a God but four minions. The Elemental Dragons of Ice, Lightning, Plant and Explosion."

"Now they had power, wealth and knowledge. Apparently that was their downfall…" Lance trailed off, finished.

May scratched her head slightly. "Now that was confusing. Is that it?" Both the Tatsu descendants nodded at her.

"Yes I agree, it was very confusing to say the least." Steven sighed. "Hopefully this Orre couple can get Vance to explain in more depth."

"We shall see. Nonetheless, we will eventually gain the information we need from Mr Anson whether it be peacefully or not." Agatha stated as a matter of fact as she left to process the information. The other followed her lead out the door but not without troubled expressions.

* * *

Notes

Pokephobia - A fear of all Pokemon.  
P.A.U – Pokemon Attack Unit  
Desert Zigoons – Outlaws living in the barren land of Orre and Hoenn.

A/N: Just to classify a pure blood Tatsuian can live for centuries like a Dragon. Neither Lance, Vance nor Clair are complete purebloods. Among their family line their gene pool had human DNA present.

The way the three talk is based from the area I live in. East Yorkshire, England. So basically, we tend to cut out the letters 'h' and 't' when we talk. If the 'h' is the first letter in a word they skip it, and if the letter 't' is at the end of a word they also ignore it.

For example: HELLO would be said by them as 'ELLO  
In the word HAT the 't' would be replaced with a 'uh' HA'UH.

Just giving you a better idea of their accent and how they pronounce things. It isn't important, but it does add an edge the their characters.

Was it really Master Len in the Dragon Shrine in Blackthorn? I don't remember, Len or Ken or something like that.

And now that everyone is in the same place the plot can deepen.


	4. What's wrong with Lance?

A/N: This is just a summary of the main events that are going to happen in this. I have to keep everything together when I submit stuff as my computer only has 134mb of memory left and every byte is crucial. I can't write em down either as my cousin just eats all my paper ;

**So if you are actually even reading this and don't want to know what is going to happen until I write it I'd look away to the next bold writing.**

nope

you

can

not

look

just

yet

god

this

is

annoying

i

can

not

use

spaces

it

won't

let

me

Shippings  
_  
_- Questshipping (Kenta&Marina)  
- Colosseumshipping (Wes&Rui)  
- Hoennshipping (May&Brendan)  
- Elitefourshipping (Lance&Lorelei) - _married  
_- (Steven&Karen) – _does it have a name, or have I just thought of it_? _I'd call it Bumpshipping.  
- _Among other minor ships and triangles (including shouen-ai hints)

Incidents

Lorelei having the baby (Lance and Vance involved)  
- Ryuin travels through the Karada System  
- World domination (involves Giovanni)  
- Spying game (involves Wes, Rui Marina, Kenta and Vance)  
- The Chosen One (involves Ash, Misty, Tracey, Brock and Lawrence III)  
- The Indigo League Challenge (involves Steven, Indigo Elite 4, May and Brendan)  
- Journey to Tatsu  
- Rebuild Tatsu and Dragon Dance () (Agatha, Will, Lance, Clair and Vance involved)  
- Epic war section (everyone involved!)  
- Among other minor things.

i

have

a

lot

of

free

time

on

my

hands

you

see

now

i

work

at

home

it's

a

good

thing

**That should just about do it. You can look now, sorry.**

()On another note '_Dragon Dance'_ is copyright to shadow/phantomness so full credit of that aspect shall go to her! Seriously, if you are reading this you should be reading her stuff too! Thanks for letting me borrow it, you're the best!

Onwards!

Notes

"Talking"  
_Thinking_  
((Psychic communication))  
Pokemon speech  
'Phone calls'

The Dragon Homeland  
Chapter 4

"Come on! I'm _not_ missing the opening ceremony! Lorelei and Abby are there!"

"We still have plenty of time, Misty"

The former Cerulean Gym Leader huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Well I want to get a seat at the front, Brock."

"The things we've done I'm sure they'll even let us in the Plateau." Brock reassured. "I mean all the legendaries we've seen and we aren't even aligned with one. We've even met all the members of the Elite Four on more than one occasion – they'll know us."

"Well I'm finally going to beat the League and get the Champions place, right Pikachu?" The yellow mouse Pokemon squealed and held thumbs up at Ash. "Then it's off to be a Pokemon Master!" Ash shouted and thrust his arm forward.

"Honestly, Ash…" Misty sighed and loosened her grip on Togepi.

"To the Plateau!" Ash shouted again and began running for the tall circular building stood off in the distance, Brock following shortly after.

Misty looked around herself. "We've just got out of Victory road and he still has too much energy." She muttered and ran after her two companions.

* * *

The elderly Ghost Master shuffled into the League president's office without knocking. "So, do you have your speech Mr Jayshow? 

"Of course, Agatha." The stumpy man replied offhandedly as if he didn't care. "All the preparations are ready."

"You do not seem too pleased."

Jayshow slumped down in his seat. "Of course I'm not happy. How am I going to outdo the Hoenn League when all their blasted trainers keep coming over here." He slammed his fist on his desk. "Why can't they stay in their own damn country!"

Agatha held her shocked expression before quickly dropping it in favour of a disappointed one. "Now that is not very hospitable of you."

"Bloody newbies can't stay in their own worthless League? Not to mention this Steven fella bringing his brood, god! This place'll be going to pot soon, just you watch!"

"Now, Mr Stone is a very pleasant man and his daughters are always a delight." The ex-Elite defended her friend. "I just believe you are being racist on the matter. Do you remember what the Prime Minister said? One more strike and you will be fired and replaced with either myself, Mr Anson or Miss Blake."

"Oh, enough of that. I am not offensive in any way to any people." The Indigo president muttered. "The opening ceremony'll be on soon, have to give the pathetic trainers their feed."

Agatha barely bat an eyelid after that remark. President Jayshow had always been a bitter short man, though no one could actually figure out why. He was one of the most powerful people in Kanto and Johto combined short of the Prime Minister. He had a large salary and since he had held his position for twenty odd years he'd saved up a mighty amount of income. It was probably just in his nature or something to that extent anyway.

"I assume everyone is here?" He asked with mild interest while waddling down the twisted halls of Indigo HQ.

Agatha shook her head behind his back. Honestly, if he wanted to keep the quality of the Indigo League the milestone ahead of the Ever Grande League he'd have to show more interest and not just complain about it later. It was really frustrating on her account since she'd been a member of the League longer than anyone had.

"Yes, we are all waiting for your speech and the firework display. The challengers have been seated in the courtyard. Everything is ready for you." She was seventy-three and shouldn't be feeding his already inflated ego.

"Good. I want this to be perfect!" And with that the Indigo League President had waddled around the corner in all the five-feet glory he could muster, much to Agatha's amusement.

* * *

The atmosphere around the Plateau and Indigo City was a perfect example of joy and excitement. Hundreds of hopeful trainers, breeders and researchers had gathered in the Plateau's elegant courtyard to hear their president make his rousing speech. Then after that was the fireworks display both manmade and Pokemonmade attractions as well as the open house and stalls surrounding the courtyard made the experience just that more. 

But perhaps best of all, they got to see the Master trainers. The very trainers they could just be facing in a couple weeks time, the very trainers that would have to give up their very position to any of the hopefuls in the crowd if a loss should befall them.

But of course the Masters most would try to fell would turn out to be Abby and Will as it was rumoured that Karen, Tea and Lance were virtually un-seatable in skill. For a trainer to get _their_ position the Master trainer would have to resign or retire to leave a vacancy to be filled.

Now it was only a short while until the president would make his annual speech and the crowd was beginning to get restless at the fact.

Almost as if sensing the crowd was turning restless the president himself steeped up onto his podium for the trainers at his feet to see him (and make him appear taller).

Jayshow glanced around at the crowds. _Not another bunch of pathetic wannabes trying to overthrow _my_ Elites! _He raged in the privacy of his mind while looking welcoming on the outside. "Ahem, I President Clifford Jayshow welcome you to the fifty-first Indigo League tournament!" He shouted into the microphone.

The crowd instantly jumped to their feet and thundered their applause in his direction and banging on the back of the seats in front of them. As big as the courtyard was it still couldn't hold the sheer amount of Master wannabes present. Many had taken to sharing seat, though it was now obvious hardly anyone would be sitting down anymore, others had taken to sitting on their friends' shoulders and other such strange space saving methods.

The President waved his hand at them to signal quiet. _Heh, that's right eat right out of my palm. Good dogs. _

"Is it me or is the President getting a bigger head?" Brendan asked anybody.

"He's really loosing it." The Psychic Master told his comrades. "It's like he has two sides, and not like normal people. His personalities are in conflict."

The Indigo Elite and the visiting Masters where stood behind their President on the stage facing the huge crowd of trainers. It was something most of them were used to save from Abby and Morty.

In general Abby was a bubbly and easily excitable girl around her friends and family, and even the new comer Isaac, but when stood in front of an uncountable number of people she showed her other side. Adding to the fact she was short and very thin her lead Pokemon, Vaporeon, was always trying to draw attention to itself and as a result Abby would also gain the brunt of the attention. It made her uncomfortable with strangers.

"Quiet, Blue." She hissed under her breath and stood on the Vaporeon's tail to stop it waving it at the close trainers in the front row.

The Ghost Apprentice was stood next to her, and like Isaac and Wes, he was a master at concealing his emotions. On the outside his face held no sign of how uncomfortable he felt inwards, but then he had known what he was getting himself into when he became Gym Leader. Public displays of him seen as a trophy to goggling trainers and Eusine.

That was a point. Where was Eusine? He hadn't seen him in months and neither had Will, it was strange. The man was obsessed with Suicune and was determined to bond with one, preferably the Burnt Tower one, but then he said that if he got the chance he'd bond with any no matter where it came from. Morty laughed under his breath, Eusine would hate this Wes character for bonding with _all three_ of the Legendary Dogs. Sods Law – that's what it is – Sods Law.

The blonde trainer looked up from under his bangs to see Jayshow still jabbering on about how the "Glory of the Indigo League must be upheld" of course that was justhis subtle way of saying they _must_ crush the Hoenn League.

"The man never got this worked up at the Orange League." Lorelei whispered.

Steven nodded. "I don't know what all the fuss is about. We certainly are not in competition with you."

"The Pres don't seem t' think tha'" Lance said while still looking forward.

"We really need to have the Prime Minister come down and see him. Or at least have Mercury take a look at him." Will said, worried.

The Ghost Master rapped her cane in a wooden plank of the stage. "You have no need to worry, William. I am sure the pressure of these finals are the only thing affecting him." She tried to reassure everyone, but failed for the most part.

"Nah, he's been like this for ages." Abby squeaked.

Lorelei looked down at the young girl. "Are you okay? You sound ill."

The Water Master shook her head slightly still not releasing Blue. "Fine… oh look." She nodded up to Jayshow. "He's calling us next."

President Clifford Jayshow, also known as psycho, held his hand back towards the Masters. "I'm sure you all know who these incredible people are." He said with a proud tone. "Allow me to introduce them. This is Morty Fin, the Ecruteak Gym Leader!"

Morty stepped forward and bowed his head lightly. "Psycho." He muttered and smiled at the crowd as they cheered, he stepped back rather quickly to avoid the spotlight.

"Ghost Master, Agatha Witchout!" The elderly woman held her place but nodded at the trainers as they cheered again.

Slowly but surely the Indigo President introduced all the Masters, but not without some smart remarks by them under their breath. The Hoenn trainers were an interesting change to the ceremony and gained more suspicious looks that applause – not that they expected to be welcomed immediately.

Agatha and Will had told them beforehand that most of the trainers entering in the finals were under twenty years of age and as such were easily influenced by powerful figures of authority such as Jayshow. Not to say that Jayshow had turned his League against others as later the trainers here now would also end up in Ever Grande some time in the future. Their President was just racist no matter how much he tried to deny it.

* * *

The sky had darkened and the sun fled as the cool night air fell down upon the courtyard after Jayshow had been talking for nearly three hours. But now it was time for the fireworks display. 

Despite what others had told them, May and Brendan had snuck round the back of the cart the fireworks had been kept in and stolen two – a Charizard and Raichu.

As the sky lit up with a Caterpie firework the Lati bonded trainers set up their two. The Caterpie in the sky had illuminated the immediate area with a dull green glow and was currently using 'String Shot' and creating intricate patterns against the velvet sky.

The fireworks themselves where a recent product from Silph Co. and came in many different Pokemon patterns. A Donphan was now soaring across the black leaving sprinkles of colour to drop to the ground but only to dissolve before anyone could reach up and touch them – not a good idea to touch.

"Stick it there!" May said and Brendan put the stick with the Raichuwork attached in the ground. "This'll be good." She laughed and rubbed her hands together.

"Think we can get Jayshow?" Brendan snickered and angled the firework at the short stumpy man as he paced back and forth under the display.

The two had hidden away from the stage and aimed both the fireworks at the Indigo President. From the things both Agatha and Will had told them this man really needed to let loose and have some fun and this was certain to tickle his funny bone. Of course the fireworks wouldn't burn him or even touch him for that matter as they'd had Tea mark out the exact co-ordinates for the attack. They hadn't told himthey were going to actually scare the President but where training both Mistie and Sheen and needed things to be perfect, Tea hadn't said one thing about it (just as they'd hoped) but rather just done it and left.

"Not a social man is he?" May snickered and released Hotfoot her Blaziken to light the fuse.

"Who isn't a social man?"

"Ah!" May jumped at the sudden strange voice and whipped around to punch the caller at a reflex. The man caught her fist with little effort and dropped her hand.

Brendan heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh, Mew." He wiped his forehead and dropped the hand that held the Pokeball concealing his Tropius. "Lance, don't come up behind us like that, sheesh."

"Terribly sorry." Lance said and eyed the fireworks.

May held up her head in surprise. "What?" She asked in slight confusion – Lance had never spoken like that before, in fact he always complained when other people _did_.

"Sorry." He repeated himself. "So, what is all this, then?"

May and Brendan followed his line of view to the fireworks and the clear shot they had at Jayshow. "Oh this, um… target practice?" May asked in a sheepish voice.

"I hardly think the others would appreciate the fact you are attempting to murder their – uh – _our_ Presiden_t_." Lance scowled.

"But Lance, you took a swing at him with your sword yesterday." Brendan argued.

"Yeah!" May agreed. "Ya know, after he said all Tatsu are the same and should be put down along with all foreigners."

Lance's scowl deepened. "Oh he did, did he?" He muttered under his breath then cleared his throat. "Nonetheless, I hardly think you should turn firearms on him."

Hotfoot sniffed the air and stomped his foot to gain attention. May hushed him and Brendan jumped as Lance yelped and shot back from the Pokemon. "Crrrawwww?" The Blaziken growled in irritation and made forward towards the Indigo Champion.

"Get that… _thing_ back!" Lance shouted.

"Why? He just wants to battle." The Dragon Master turned truly frightened after May's remark. "Charizard, he wants to battle Charizard."

"God! We are not fighting here!" He calmed down as Hotfoot stopped in his tracks and retreated back to May. "Not with all these trainers about."

"Are you feeling okay?" May asked as she recalled her Pokemon.

"Fine, fine. But we have orders from the Karada System. Two more trainers have been aligned with Legendaries, a Marina and Kenta of Johto. We are to make our way there, now."

The Latios bonded trainer looked back at the crowd watching the fireworks display. "But the finals have just begun. Don't you have to be here?"

Lance sighed. "How long have you been with the System? It is more important to obey the System than play host to the finals." He turned his back to them, cape swishing with the movement. "Mr Grammer and MissMiru are waiting for us."

"Wes and Rui? I thought Agatha sent them to Vance?" Brendan voiced.

"They have their desired information and are waiting for us in Vermilion port." He turned back to face them again. "And be a dear and tell the others, I have… things to take care of."

"…Ok." Brendan murmured as they gathered the two fireworks together and walked away from Lance and back to the Plataeu. "Man, do you think the pressure is getting to Lance too?"

"Dunno." May replied. "And what was with the whole 'proper English' thing?"

"Maybe he's trying to speak right for when the baby comes?"

"And sincewhen did he start callin' a battle "fighting"?"

"Look, just stop asking questions and get the others while I put these away." He indicated the fireworks.

"Right, right." May handed the Raichuwork to her partner and wandered to the receptionist's desk.

The young pretty woman looked up at May and smiled. "Hello dear, what can I do for you?"

"Um, I was wondering if you could tell me where the others have gone. They're not outside anymore."

"Yes," the woman shuffled through her files on the desk until she came across a stick-it note. "Yes, they had an urgent call from a Mr Aardak and had to leave immediately. They are waiting for you to accompany them."

May sighed and left to find Brendan and the others. "Thanks." So Aardak had called? While Lance was talking with them? Must have been Clair who answered the call then.

Aardak was the code name for the Karada System, they used the name Aardak as a person – a travelling professor actually. Yes, Professor Aardak was very close with all the Masters and was never ignored.

The Latias bonded girl jumped when she saw her comrades waiting for her at the entrance.

"Hurry up!" Brendan shouted. "We have a situation with the Legendaries!"

"Then we have to go to Johto!" She shouted back as she ran.

Brendan nodded. "Yes they know, I've told them."

The Hoenn Master reached them at the back gate and bent over to catch her breath, really they'd seemed closer than they where. After she regained a bit of her breath back she looked up at Lance and Clair. Now Lance had his sword with him when he hadn't before.

"Mew, you must've moved fast to get that!" She wheezed and pointed at the weapon.

"Wha'?" The Dragon Master looked just as confused as she felt. "I've 'ad this all evenin'."

"No you haven't! You didn't have it a moment ago…" Brendan said when he too realised thentrailed off to leave three confused Masters.

Clair stepped forward and waved her hands. "_Yes_ Lance has had the sword all night, _yes_ we sent him to find you, _yes_ Brendan said he found you, _yes_ we got a call from the System. _Yes we have to go!"_

"Whoah! Looks like we better step on it." Abby said with finality at the fuming Clair.

* * *

High above the cloud layer bright flashes of colour could be seen flying from all directions. Each flash dyed the murky clouds a vibrant colour, red, white, yellow, the clouds continued to shift from one variation to another as the battle raged. 

Not knowing what was happening above the low cloud layer unnerved thehim as he backed himself up against a particularly jagged looking rock. He aimed his pistol at an advancing Warui and shot it dead with one well-aimed bullet. However, no sooner had he felled that single clone another and another took their fallen comrades' place. Trapped between the many spawn and a solid rock wall he was running out of ammunition.

He threw out his hand, palm facing the Pokemon, and gritted his teeth as an invisible wave of Psychic energy swept through each clone and knocked them away. Grasping his gun with a tighter grip the Psychic Elite pushed forward into the thick of the Warui.

"We have to finish this up. And fast!" He shouted above the cries of clones and Pokemon alike. The man he had shouted to turned his head slightly to look away from a Warui he had recently slain.

"The Legendaries are doing most of the cleaning up. We just have to pick of the stragglers, Will." The Johto Champion informed his teammate whilst whipping the sword he held around to watch the blood skim off.

The Psychic Elite jumped round to shoot at another creature. "Just who are up above the clouds!"

"Aura and Drakeo." No sooner had these words reached the air the clouds exploded into wisps of smoke as a blue Pokemon shot towards the ground.

A huge yet elegant Legendary flew towards the ground and hovered above the hordes of Warui. The shiny blue Lugia opened her mouth and charged a blinding energy ball and seconds later released the beam on the clones. Tracing a path with the intense Aeroblast the Lugia blasted a great manyclones to Hell. A second Legendary then shot from the remains of the clouds.

Drakeo the silver Rayquaza plummeted for the ground all the while shrieking in pain as the airborne Warui latched themselves onto the Dragons scales and tore at the soft flesh hidden underneath.

A scream of anguish was heard across the field. "Drakeco!" The Blackthorn Gym Leader jumped from her recently slain clone. The young woman cleared a path through the spawn of Ryuin as she attempted to reach her Bonded Legendary. Her attempts turned fruitless as both Will and Lance grabbed her and pulled her back and away from the thick of the battle.

Many of the Warui had now turned on each other as the increasingly violent battle raged forward.

The silver Dragon slammed his lithe body against the ground, successfully squashing those beneath the snake-like body and detachingothers from its person. The Pokemon continued to writhe on the floor as more Warui clambered and covered the Rayquaza.

A small pink Pokemon approached Will, Lance and Clair. The Psychic man smiled and holstered his gun but tightned his grip on the female dragon trainer's arm. The silver tailed Mew dropped onto Will's head and closed her baby blue eyes with concentration. A small tingling sensation later and the three Master trainers were standing on a high cliff, high enough for the air to be thin and hard to breathe in.

"No! Drakeco!" Clair shook Lance and Will off and ran to the cliffs edge. She dropped her own sword when the sight met her eyes. Miles and Miles of view were covered with the decayed clones. The blue Lugia sending attacks out in every which direction and her Rayquaza trapped under the sheer number of Warui. Even from this distance away she could feel pain from her Bonded.

A hand came to rest on her shoulder. "It's ok, Clair. We have it covered." Clair turned her head slightly to see who was trying to comfort her.The Elit Fourthmet her vision.

"How, Karen? What are you going to do?"

The Dark Elite smiled. Even though she had no Legendary she still came and fought in these battles. It was a tough job keeping these incidents from the public eye, but Will's Bonded Legendary, Mew, warded the immediate area from prying eyes. The papers would only find the scarred remains of the field and blame it on the sparsebandsof what remained ofTeam Rocket.

With a sudden jump the ground surrounding what remained of this latest fleet of Warui crumbled and fell in on itself. The ground circling the Warui then began to fall in on itself too, as the crumbling earth began to crack away the Rayquaza Bonded woman began to panic with more force.

"Don't wory, Clair. We have it figured out. Don't panic." Karen reassured with a positive tone.

A dark red aura was filtering through the cracks in the ground and incinerating any clone that came in contact. A glutteral growl reached everybody ears and a sudden flash of red hued energy and the earth exploded towards the sky, taking all with it. Clone after clone was tossed to the skies and those that avoided the Aeroblast fell to the hells of Groudon.

Flannery whooped and threw her arms above her head as the Master trainers watched the end of the struggle play out.

Amongst the thousands of Warui that were catapulted at the clouds Drakeco slithered free and joined Aura in finishing off the scattered few that dodged the Earth Gods wrath.

With a sigh of relief Clair turned to her fellow trainers. "Tha' it?" Karen looked around with painful eyes, and finally nodded.

The Psychic turned his eyes to the Dragon Master. "Hey Lance, we should be getting back to the Plataue. Can't miss too much of the finals, people'll get suspicious." The red haired man nodded his agreement and everyone walked down the path leading back to what remained of the battlefield.

It was just another battle with an unknown enemy.

* * *

A/N: Confusing much? I like to confuse people, heh. I'm thinking I need to make the battles longer and more exciting – these are Legendaries after all. 

On another note this was fourteen pages on Word, and I don't remember how long the other chapters were, but I think that's pretty long for me

Well if anyone is reading this (glares at closet readers) would you mind telling me what you think of it. Just if nobody is reading it I'll stop posting it and only write it for my own entertainment, cheers!


	5. Battle aboard the St Anne

**Redemmo – **I'd be surprised if you _did_ get it as of yet, I haven't explained much yet. But I'll keep posting it then.

**Shadow/Phantomness** – They haven't gotten the Dragon Dance yet, and won't for a while, they have to get to Tatsu first. And I was hoping a certain line wouldn't give everything away…

**Kyle K** – Yes, I love to confuse people. And this'll just get stranger as it goes on. Thanks for the review.

**Tsuki Yashi** – I don't like those journey stories either – you can tell exactly what's gonna happen next. This does have some Ash in it, but not a whole lot and thanks for your response.

**Lightning-strike** – You got it! It was Vance! Whee! That certain line about the President I thought gave it away, have a cookie! There's probably grammar and spelling mistakes littered all over the place that I always seem to miss. And thank you for reviewing all the chapters separately and your generous words, they made me smile.

**TMSteelWing** – thank you for the review and I think giving the characters full names adds to the intimacy of it all.

A/N: Hm, I'll continue to post this. And I know I shouldn't pine over reviews as I've noticed a few other authors don't get many either. Reviews on this site are reserved for AAML romance stories, I've noticed. But what are you gonna do? I'll just have to get my website up! But it's so encouraging to know people are reading even if they only leave "update" in the review.

Onwards!

Notes

"Talking"  
_Thinking  
_((Psychic communication))  
Pokemon speech  
'Phone calls'

The Dragon Homeland  
Chapter 5

_How to spell a Dragon;  
__Take a mirror and sprinkle it with Dragondust.  
__Then place a sapphire or any other treasure outside  
__the dragon's layer. When the dragon emerges  
__to investigate the gemstone, quickly bring out the mirror  
__so the dragon can see it's own reflection, and cry,  
_"_Ecce Narcisso Dracouus Attractivae!" This will  
__tame the dragon – but watch out when it wears off!_

He wrote the incantation down in his simple notebook. "Ecce Narcisso Dracouus Attractivae, hm? How, tch, simple." He turned to the next incantation in the book; "Summon dragons, invisibility spell, taming spell, cooling spell, tch, why do they write this, tch, down? Leaving crucial information for anyone to find."

"Boss, boss! We found it, boss!" A man ran into the room but stopped short at the look the other was throwing him.

The Dragonologist watched as the tall gangly man stumbled up to his table with a roll of parchment. "Get out, Crum. I do not, tch, need your incessant whining right now."

"But, boss!" Crum complained, "we found the map."

"You found what?"

"The map," Crum said again. "We found it in Kravos's old trunk in his grave, at first Xanthe wouldn't go near it, but then I pushed her and she fell in and screamed and she nearly ripped it when she went psycho. I don't think she likes graves, boss, but then I don't think anyone does. Do you like graves? Master Ryuin said you were crazy like that. Do you _really_ like graves, though boss? That's rather creepy isn't it? Actually I think you -"

"Silence!" A swift clip around the head silenced Crum immediately. "I said I don't want your whining now or ever! Give me the map!"

"Oh, right-o then!" He said and pulled the map from under his arm to hang it in front of Vance's face.

"Don't hold it over the candle!" Vance shrieked at the man, "and hold it still!"

Crum shrunk down a little, "yes, yes boss."

The eldest remaining Tatsuian leant forward to study the withered old parchment. "You really are, tch, a moron. You know that Crum?" He said.

At that moment Crum's partner decided to stumble in the room covered in soil and dust. However, unlike her partner, she knew not to just run in on Vance when he was working on Dragon Mythology – not unless she wanted a knife in her back at any rate.

True to Ryuin's predictions it had been an incredibly easy job to badger Vance into working with the Dragon Lord and all his spawn. But then, nobody worked _with_ the spawn, but rather above them as the creatures had only one thing on their limited minds; and that was anything Ryuin would order of them.

Ryuin himself was a strange Pokemon. Being part Dragon gave him the resistance from the three main elements and Electricity, whereas his Psychic abilities vastly improved brain capabilities and long range assaults. Not to mention being a direct creation of the Tatsu leaders he held a bountiful fountain of ancient Tatsu knowledge from them.

The one thing that escaped him, though, was the Karada Machine. The very thing that he was created for. Entering the System was a simple enough task and finding the Machine was a given as it never moved anymore, no, the problem was getting _out_ to the Machine.

With hundreds of people travelling in and out of the small ports in the System everyday he would always be detected no matter how much of his body he withheld in the remains of Tatsu; his mind was always found and tracked by that insufferable Psychic Master!

Not to mention Vance's brother and cousin were constantly feeding the Machine, though if they maintained their current rate soon they'd blow a fuse and fall down to Vance's state and soon after that into mindless vegetables. He'd seen it all before.

Myths and Legends told of the prosperous land of Tatsu being the world of forgiveness and future, when in reality Ryuin saw it as a slave country. Many condemned to feeding the System and eventually giving their lives to it under needless circumstances. Really though, how did the rumours start when the world had only just discovered the land not ten years ago?

Sure Team Rocked had broken in first and wasted the culture, but after Master Kravos had condemned Giovanni to the System the Rockets fell down upon themselves. That was the main reason Ryuin traveled through the System; to find the prison of Giovanni's mind.

Being as intelligent as he was, Ryuin, he just didn't have the utmost knowledge of the distant lands of Kanto or Orre, and if his plan was to succeed he needed an information life source of a trainer that had ruled the world, if only for a short while.

That was why he violated the System.

Crum fidgeted under the eyes of the Tatsuian as he held the map up for him. "Why can't you touch it, boss?"

Xanthe clipped him again, "not while he's concentrating." She hissed.

Vance pulled back at the question as if coming out of a trance. "Oh for… Crum, how long have you been, tch, working with Master Ryuin? Eight… nine years? And you, tch, still don't know how, tch, things work?" He gave a disappointed sigh that caused the other man to shrink down even more.

Xanthe smiled, "forgive him, boss. He's an idiot, but you'll always have me!" She said and fluttered her eyelashes, Vance ignored it.

"I'll answer your question again, Crum," Vance started with a smile, "so that if you ever ask me again I will hang you upside down in the Gyarados tank." Ginning now he continued with no clicks in his speech. "I cannot touch this particular object as everything Kravos possessed in his burial site has been showered in Dragonsbane – a highly addictive drug used against dragons such as myself. I do not wish to become a 'Banes addict in my spare time… now get out of my sight." He ordered but added; "and leave the parchment" as Crum began to take it.

The lanky man dropped the scroll on the desk and scuttled away out the door. "Oh," he said as he poked his head back in the room. "I was wondering if you _always_ click when you talk?" He yelped as a small pocket knife stabbed through his hair and nailed him to the wall.

"Come on, Crummy. Let's get you cleaned up." Xanthe said as she pulled him from the wall. "Bye, bye, Vanceie." She smiled as he threw the candle at her but only flicked her leg out as she left the room.

"Tch, idiots." Vance mumbled as he returned his attention to the map.

* * *

"Don't you think it's rather strange Wes and Rui didn't meet us at the port?" Karen asked as she tugged her hat down over her eyes. "Just some strange nervous man giving us a note."

Clair laughed her off, "oh, don't act so suspicious all the time. Have some fun, we _do_ have a long trip."

As ordered by Agatha, Karen, Clair and Abby had been sent to meet the Orre trainers at Vermilion Port and then bring the new bonded trainers, Marina and Kenta, from Johto to the Plateau. Obviously they were under disguise, as they couldn't afford any mishaps involving rabid fans during a Karada related subject. It wasn't like they _didn't_ appreciate their fans though, it just got a little out of hand some times; especially when trying to do any normal task would put them on the cover of all the celebrity magazines in Kanto.

Well, they were dressed as average tourists taking an educational cruise away from their husbands (or in Abby's case, boyfriend) to see the world. Pokemon hidden, they did a good job of it with different hairstyles, hats pulled low, different dress sense (no cape for Clair) and just, generally, doing normal things that weren't bound to gain people's gazes.

"Dear Masters, Wes and I have decided to stay a while longer at Kings Cross Hospital (Vance's new workplace) as his attitude to people has changed dramatically since he now works in this new P.A.U. There is no need to worry about us if we do not communicate regularly, as we don't want to arouse his suspicions of us being connected to Pokemon in any way. Yours sincerely, Rui and Wes. PS, we will keep you posted!" Abby read the letter out loud again.

"Sounds suspicious."

"Oh, Karen," Clair laughed again and straightened her floppy straw hat. "Jus' enjoy yourself. I'm off to get an umbrella drink." She said as she wandered inside the cabins.

The three Masters had booked with the second class cabins under phony names to quell suspicion of three housewives with enough money to get into business class.

Abby sighed, "I wonder if there is any Mystic Water around…" she mumbled and hopped up to the railing to lean over and watch the sun set against the clam waves.

"I don't think you'll find any without some water Pokemon's help."

"Don't be so negative, Karen," Abby chirped.

The Dark Master shook her head. "Damn kids just don't know when to give up…"

* * *

'We miss you, daddy. Come howme sooooon!' 

Steven smiled at Stella over the videophone. "Don't worry, petal, I'll be back as soon as possible," he grinned, "and I hope you were good with Nanny on the way home."

The small girl giggled. 'Yup! I towld Nanny all abowt Mowtres and Isaac! Hewen an' Amwy say hewo too!'

"Tell Helen and Amy hello too and I love them and to be good for Nanny."

Stella put on her 'sad face' as the conversation winded down to the end. 'Bye bye, daddy. I wuv you!' she said as Nanny plucked her from the seat she was on back in Hoenn.

'Your little darlings are a pleasure to look after, I wish you well while you are away. Goodbye, Steven.' Nanny hung up the phone.

The Supreme Fifth of Hoenn heaved an exhausted sigh. He never got to spend all that much time with his family anymore, at least not since he'd been aligned with Registeel anyway. Everything boiled down to the Ever Grande League or his constant trips to Indigo Plateau for Karada incidents these days. It was times like this that really began to wear a person down.

"Ah, Mister Stone was it?" Steven groaned, not Jayshow again.

"Good evening, President." He ground out as Jayshow glared at him. It was pretty obvious the stumpy man was keeping his distance to appear of a similar height to one of the tallest Masters present.

"I notice your brats have gone home, why haven't you?" The President sneered.

Steven scowled, "my daughters are _not_ brats! And how dare you insinuate they are!"

"My, my, insinuate? That was a pretty complicated word for a _trainer_ to come up with." Jayshow chuckled.

"Contrary to popular belief, not all Pokemon trainers dropped out of school or are otherwise uneducated." Steven said as calmly as he could after an insult about his family.

"My, well you _have_ been reading the dictionary in your free time. My guess is you must have a lot since you seem to spend most of it in _MY_ league!"

"As far as I know, this is _not your_ League. It is the trainer's League; you are merely a representative of the business." Jayshow clenched his teeth as Steven continued. "It's people like _you_ that make me applaud our council's decision to withhold the position of a League President, rather than give it to just any Tom, Dick and Harry." He crossed his arms over his chest, "tell me, what did you do to worm your way into this position? As I am fully aware the trainers hailed from this country are some of the most intelligent trainers ever born. You must have pulled _some_ scam."

Jayshow thundered up to the taller man and pointed a short fat finger at him. "You have no right to talk to me like that, you ingrate! Get out of my Plateau, in fact, get out of my League, get out of my _Country_!" He stamped his foot in his rage but continued pointing even as Steven glared down at him. "I'll have no foreign rouges in my League! Get all your pathetic trainers and leave! _Immediately_!"

The Steel Master just smirked down at him, "ah but you see, we can't leave until the Karada Machine allows us. We are bound to it you know."

"Don't you talk down to me like that!" Jayshow roared. "I am not some illegitimate child! I could say, however, your _offspring_ are…"

"Why you son of a –"

"Steven!" Brendan jumped out from behind a vending machine. Jayshow then pointed the fad digit at him.

"You, boy," he shouted. "You've been spying on us!"

Brendan moved to stand in front of Steven to stop his advances on the pathetic President. "Of course! What'd do you expect! We can here you shouting all the way down the hall, so Flannrey sent me to make sure you didn't get out of hand."

"You little Rattata!" Jayshow cursed.

Steven struggled against the boy, "Stop insulting everyone!"

"Steven! Steven… remember what Mercury said about the Pres and his… condition…" Brendan reasoned then sighed with relief as the Champion stopped struggling and trying reach the man.

"I HAVE NO CONDITION!"

"Ey up, Pres. Leave 'em alone will ya?" Lance asked as he walked up to them, "all this shoutin' is makin' Lorelei nervous."

Jayshow threw up his hands. "Oh beautiful, I just _can't_ get rid of all the _foreigners_ around here! First these Hoenn losers, then the Orre scum and now the _Dragons_!" He whipped his body around to point on either side of himself. "Get back to your own countries, damn it!"

"You really are a bitter old bastard aren't you?" Brendan sneered. "And if anyone's the loser it's _you_!" He pointed at the President.

"You watch your mouth, whelp! You're in my territory now!"

"This is a _free_ country!" Steven snapped. "You don't see us ridiculing your trainers do you? No! Because we respect everyone who steps onto our land, we treat him or her with the same respect we treat our own. You know why that is?" He waited a moment for a snappy comeback. "Because we are all the same! That is why!"

"Yeah!" Brendan added.

"I wonder if there're any video cameras around…" Lance mumbled to himself.

The President whipped round to the Indigo Champion. "And why the hell would you want a camera!"

Lance shrugged, "Well, if we get this on tape we 'ave proof you _are_ a racist twat." Jayshow opened his mouth to say something but Brendan cut him off.

"Hah! How'd you like them apples! Then you'll get replaced. Ha ha"

"Bloody hell, guys!" Flannery rushed over to them from down the hall. "You were meant to help not make things worse," she looked at Brendan and Lance. "Can't we just forget about this for now and enjoy the finals?" She pleaded.

Jayshow huffed and turned his purple face away from them to waddle back to his office, sulking. Brendan made a strangling motion with his hands, "What I'd like to do to that guy…"

Lance brushed some non-existent dust from his shirt, "he is _really_ gettin' worse. We 'ave to find some way of getting' rid of 'im…"

"We could frame him for something, a crime maybe?" Brendan suggested.

Lance stared at him a moment as if considering it then shook his head. "An _honest_ incident."

"Come on, come on," Flannery said trying to change the subject. "You're missing the battle; a Blastoise and Zangoose."

Steven sighed and flexed his hands. "Fine, fine. A good battle's worthy for the nerves." He said as him, Flannery and Lance walked back down to their press box.

Brendan snickered and ran off in the opposite direction to find May.

* * *

Clair trudged along the empty halls as she thought about all the recent happenings. _The way Karen's actin', she'll want in on the System soon_. _Why can't she just realize she's safer 'ow she is?_

"Oh God help!" Someone shrieked.

Clair jumped as the ship made a sudden jolt and threw her against the wall in a heap. "The Hell?"

As she stood again, however, the ship gave another violent jolt and knocked her to the ground once more. This time however, she didn't have time to stand as the ship lurched again.

"Somebody do something!" The voice shrieked again from the deck. "Gyarados!"

Head spinning Clair stumbled to her feet and hobbled down the hall. Were Gyarados attacking the ship? That was unusual. Okay, fair play, they were incredibly violent and territorial Pokemon in the wild not to mention powerful. But to attack a ship! Something fishy was going on!

Dodging passengers scrambling around in blind panic she reached the door only to be pulled back be a member of the staff.

"No, ma'am! Don't go out it's dangerous!" He shouted above the cries of others.

The Master trained yanked her arm from his grip. " Get out of my way!"

"Ma'am no!"

"Shove off! I have Pokemon!" She screamed as the ship shook again.

Gripping a Pokeball tightly she ripped off her hat to reveal her face to him. The man's eyes lit up upon seeing who she was and he pointed in the direction of the stern. "They're attacking the engines!"

Clair laughed at his sudden eagerness upon discovering a Master. _What a reputation to live up to_. She thought as she tore threw the door to the 'battle' between Pokemon and ship.

Upon reaching the stern she gasped as maybe six or seven Gyarados rammed into the ship with their heads and slapping the metal with vicious tail fins. Their strong teeth bit into the engines and easily crushed the metal despite the whirring machine cutting into their faces as they did so. Being an expert Dragon trainer she was perfectly used to battle with the creatures but if _that_ many decided to perform Dragon Rage she wasn't sure they'd make it to Johto alive. A great relief came to her, though, as she spotted Abby and Karen with their Pokemon preparing for battle.

She ran over to them. "What the _Hell_ is going on!"

"God knows!" Karen shouted. "They just came out of nowhere!"

"Come on, let's kick some arse!" Abby yelled as she threw her Lanturn's pokeball to the deck.

Clair nodded, "I'm with you all the way." She said as she released a Dragonair.

"Let's do it, Nightwalker!" Karen shouted as she released Umbreon. "Let's see how they react to _Master_ Pokemon. Umbreon, Confuse Ray!"

The black Pokemon dipped it's head as the yellow rings began to glow vivid and emit a strange light towards the opposing Pokemon. The ripples of light hovered around five of the Gyarados.

"That's it!" Abby cheered as the Gyarados affected began thrashing around in random directions trying to hit their invisible opponents. "Let's do this Lanturn! Thundershock!"

The Water/Electric Pokemon flashed a bright yellow whipping it's orb forward to let loose the attack. The seawater projected the electricity through all seven Pokemon as they screeched and howled in pain. Despite their confusion the sea dragons spat out high-powered Water Guns at the ship destroying the lifeboats and preventing any escape route.

"Did they do that on purpose?" Karen asked.

"They can't 'av! They're not intelligent enough to trap us!" Clair answered and ducked as another attack shot over her head.

"Yeah," Abby agreed. "They'd just kill us off with force not strategy! Watch out!"

One of the healthy Gyarados dived for the ship with it's head again. When the Pokemon connected the ship lurched over collecting seawater as the opposite side dipped in the water. Others rammed the ship in successive order even when confused and the St Anne collected more and more damage but didn't yield to the pressure.

"Lanturn, Thundershock again!" Abby ordered when back on her feet, and again the Pokemon complied with a tremendous electric current.

Clair jumped to her feet and pointed at the nearest Gyarados. "Dragonair, Thunderwave!"

The elegant dragon shook loose it's feathery ears and took flight above the Pokemon. Not wasting a second the dragon whipped her tail up to the sky and threw the attack at the opponent. The Gyarados on the receiving end of the attack howled and fell down to meet the waves.

"Abby, now!" The Dragon Trainer called.

The Water Master nodded and ordered another Thundershock from her Pokemon. Another strangled howl and the Gyarados fell down below the surface, beaten.

"One down, six to go!" Karen said as Umbreon barked a Shadow ball at a Gyarados. "That's it Nightwalker, finish it."

The Dark Pokemon growled and crouched on the deck, then flipped into the air and cried out. Not a second later a dark ominous orb of dark raced into the thick of the Pokemon and upon connection exploded in a purple light that consumed everything in sight. More growls of pain and two more dragons fell to the power of a Master trained Pokemon. Umbreon dropped to his feet and resumed his defense stance.

"Only four left." She said with a sadistic smile.

The most forward Gyarados called out its battle cry and charged a blinding white beam in it's intimidating jaws. The three remaining Pokemon circled their leader in a protective way as it charged the Hyper Beam.

"God! We have to stop it! I'll call Kyogre!"

Karen jumped at the girl. "No, Abby! No Legendaries this close to _people_! We can do it, there's only four left."

"Look at that!" Clair yelled, pointing.

The Gyarados charging the Hyper Beam had clenched it's jaw shut yet continued to power the attack as the other two still circled around it.

"What's it doing?" Abby asked.

Karen shook her head. "I have no idea, but whatever it's doing we've gotta stop it. And fast!"

The young girl shook loose of Karen's grip and nodded at the look Clair was giving her. "Lanturn, in the water."

Her Pokemon slid across the wooden deck and squeezed itself through the railing to plop into the ocean, no questions asked. Clair's Dragonair was now circling high above the Gyrados anti-clockwise as opposed to their clockwise motion.

"Ready, Dragonair," Clair shouted above the screams of the passengers and the battering of waves against the damaged hull of the St Anne. "Aim you're Thunderwave down at Lanturn!"

The dragon looked down to spot her target as the Lanturn looked up. "And you're aiming at Dragonair with your Thundershock, Lanturn." Abby ordered.

"What _are_ you two doing?" Karen asked totally perplexed, "you can't attack each other."

Clair grinned as the two Master Pokemon got into their positions. "Oh, we aren't. Ready now Dragonair… Thunderwave that Lanturn!"

"You get that Dragonair, Lanturn. Thundershock!"

With a great cry the Pokemon threw out their electrical currents towards the other, but just as they'd known, the attacks attracted each other and produced an electrical string of light suspended between Dragonair and Lanturn.

"Now, Dragonair, you control the direction of the attack while Lanturn powers it. Send it to the Gyarados." Clair said.

"Oh I get it," Karen muttered. "Dragonair is the positive anode while Lanturn is the negative and you're holding an electrical wire between them."

Clair winked, "you got it!"

The lithe Dragonair fluttered her ears to control the direction of the electric 'tripwire' and hover ever closer the Gyarados.

"Don't you give up now!" Abby encouraged as the light from the Hyper Beam could be seen escaping the confines of the Gyarados' mouth.

Clair threw her arm out. "Now do it!"

With a sudden jolt of power from Lanturn, Dragonair snapped her body around and projected the wire at her opponents. Everything set on course the electrical wire broke free from Lanturn's orb and Dragonair's horn as it swept across the waves to the attacking Gyarados, however, before it had a chance to connect, the sea dragons ducked under the water to avoid the attack.

The three guard Pokemon watched in horror while their leader writhed in pain as the electrical wire wrapped itself securely around the snake like body and proceeded to exploit the Flying and Water weakness of a Gyarados. Being in the water the attack was conducted into them, nonetheless it was a severely numbed down assault and served nothing more of an annoyance. A long dragged out moment later and their leaded smashed down against the waves unconscious.

"Oh yeah!" Abby cheered. "Are we the best of what?"

Karen growled, "calm down! We still have three left."

"No we don't." Clair muttered and pointed at the backs of the retreating Pokemon.

"What're they doing?" Abby asked in an almost disappointed tone.

Karen watched the fleeing dragons a moment; "We must've scared them off or something…"

"Nah, they _should've_ gone berserk we felled their leader, unless…" Clair trailed off and looked over to the Water Master in horror, "Wailord."

Karen paled and Abby slowly backed up against the cabin wall while Clair simply stared out at the ocean with an unreadable expression.

"Is it over?" One of the passengers asked as he stuck his head out of a window.

"I think-think you best stay indoors, sir." Karen suggested.

"Why?" he asked.

The Dark Master slapped her hands on the railings and hunched over. "Because!" she mumbled. Clair pushed the man's head back through the window and told him to stay inside until they gave the all clear and joined Karen in looking over the railings.

"It's got to be near by to suddenly scare a _Gyarados_." Clair expressed. The ship lurched to one side again, this time more violently, "yeah, I'm pretty sure it's close."

A wailing chorus filled the air as a stream of seawater shot up through the waves from the Pokemon's blowhole. The Wailord's song continued to fill the air as a gigantic tail fin crashed into the hull of the St Anne knocking the Masters across the deck to ram into the other railings. Having sustained critical damage from under the Gyarados's assault just minutes ago the ship creaked as the metal bent inwards on itself.

Not a second later and the tail of the Pokemon came crashing down vertically on the deck again and crushed the bow deep into the water as screams of the hundreds of passengers and crew fell forward as the St Anne nose-dived. The engines whirred as they met air and the Masters gripped onto anything nailed down as the ship bobbed up and down by the rip tides produced when the massive tail slapped down on water again.

"Good God!" Karen spluttered out around a mouthful of seawater. "How on earth do we beat _that_!"

Wailords were known to be very calm and peaceful Pokemon, but territorial nonetheless. It seemed the St Anne had been knocked off course during the previous battle and drifted into uncharted Wailord territory. From the vague looks of the tail fin as it resurfaced this was either a female or a young male Wailord, but a ferocious one regardless.

Abby shrieked as the Pokemon charged through the blue to drive through the ship but only succeeded in knocking it back with it's sheer size. "It's trying to kill us!"

Under normal circumstances Karen would have said something to the extent of teenagers but focused on the Wailord. "Nightwalker, confuse that Wailord!"

Again the Umbreon jumped up and growled as it's rings glowed with the same ominous light as before and a heavy haze descended around the general area of the Wailord's head.

"Alright Lanturn, Thundershock." Abby ordered to take advantage of the confused Pokemon.

Lanturn, aimed it's attack at the whale Pokemon only for it to ricochet off in a harmless fashion and fizzle out into the sky. Feeling the attack the Wailord dipped it's head under the ship and resurfaced under the ship to bring the St Anne to a complete stop on it's back.

Clair gulped, "Oh dear."

The Wailord shot a geyser of water from it's blowhole as it steamed forward. "I have it!" Karen shouted, "I'll have Houndoom Flamethrower the blowhole! That'll get to it." She said as she released said Pokemon.

The Dark Master and both her Pokemon hopped over the railing to land comfortably on the leathery blubber of Wailord's back and ran. Slipping and sliding across the hard flesh they slowly made progress forward despite the stinging wind whipping and lashing them as Abby and Clair screamed for her to come back.

"There," she panted as they looked down into the seemingly bottomless hole. "Wah!" She screamed and jumped back as another geyser of liquid streamed forth to shower her with humid spray seconds later.

"Aroo?" Houndoom whined as it looked down the hole nervously.

Karen got to her feet again and nodded. "That's it, Houndoom. Do it!" She pointed.

The Dark/Fire type hurled forth a river of flames down into the blowhole with the scorching power only a Master Pokemon could muster. Mere moments into the attack the Wailord howled in pain yet still continued to charge through the waters. A low rumbling noise accompanied by screams of the passengers and yet another geyser of water shot up to douse the fire when suddenly the enraged Pokemon screeched to a halt. The sudden standstill of Wailord sent the St Anne catapulting forward back into the sea with a mightily splash. Karen, however, was hurled much further over the ship and into the sea, Pokemon dropping nearby.

"Bloody Hell!" Abby shrieked and released her Vaporeon. "Blue, go get Karen quick!"

Clair released her Kingdra, "go help now!"

The two Pokemon stormed up to the area Karen had fallen and Kingdra immediately found Houndoom struggling against the current while trying to keep his head above water. The Dragon flipped the Pokemon onto it's back with healthy fins and continued to search for the others.

Back on the ship Clair snarled at the situation. "Abby, you take care of this while I finish off the Wailord!" She ordered and when Abby agreed she ran over to the railings to call for Dragonair. "This has got to stop now, Dragonair! Get ready."

Dragonair began to circle high above the whale like it'd done with the Gyarados to look for a point of attack or weakness. The Wailord was thrashing about in the water as the distinct smell of something burning wafted through the atmosphere among the odor of fear, a small flow of smoke could be seen escaping the blowhole of the Pokemon.

While Clair and Dragonair watched the Pokemon with intent, Abby scoured the sea for Karen or Umbreon. Kingdra had taken to dipping it's head under the surface as it couldn't dive with Houndoom anymore but Vaporeon, however, plunged deeper to search.

The Eeveeloution squeaked when she spotted the Dark Master. Karen was slowly sinking further down into the deep whilst Nightwalker tried in vain to pull her back up to the surface; it was obvious the Dark type couldn't stay submerged much longer. Blue waded over and motioned for Umbroen to swim back up, the other Eeveeloution hesitated but the sheer lack of oxygen drove him to leave.

Finding it too difficult to drag Karen back to the surface on her own, and with Umbreon gone, Blue transfigured her DNA to that of the water and dissolved. At one with the water the Vaporeon created an updraft of water to push the unconscious woman to the surface where Kingdra immediately snapped her up with it's snout.

The Blackthorn Gym Leader halted her pacing and sneered at the Wailord as it trounced about in pain and decided on her actions. "There's only one thing left to do, Dragonair." She threw out one arm while still holding the bars with the other and shouted; "Rainy Day!"

Vaporeon washed Kingdra and his passengers onto the deck just in time as Dragonair stretched out towards the sky and began the Rain dance. The glass orbs on her body shook and burst out a deep blue colour as a dull ring reached everyone's ears. The passengers and crew screamed as the sea churned and bashed the ship and the sky darkened as heavy rain clouds descended all the while focused on the dragon. Even the Wailord was struggling to stay above the powerful waves and extreme winds.

Clair shouted above the noise but her voice was lost to Abby as she gripped Karen, however Dragonair heard the order and intensified the storm with pure concentration. The rain clouds transformed to thunder and the sky lit up with light above the clouds. Another lost order from Clair and the aura around Dragonair shattered as a bolt of lightning flew from the clouds and struck the Wailord.

All the time struggling under the pain of the fire within it's body the Wailord failed to notice the streak of light as it thundered down and split the sea. The Wailord curled in on itself quickly to dull out the shock but nature overcame it shortly and it plunged under the waves swiftly.

Dragonair cooed for nature and the clouds dissipated to free the sun and the waves dulled back to their original relaxing current. When sure the weather was stable Dragonair fluttered back to her trainer and sang her melody.

Clair petted the Pokemon and whispered praise to it. _It was like they were trying to stop us somehow_, she thought then slowly turned to walk to Abby and… Karen.

* * *

The dungeons of the castle were dank and gloomy – just like any typical dungeon. But then, he'd never been in a dungeon before so he wouldn't exactly know. It was cold and musty too and the air was ripe with decay, but the most annoying thing, perhaps, was that infernal dripping.

Drip, drip, drip and _drip_. It never stopped! And from what he could see from the wall through the small barred window it showed _no_ signs of rain. So where was it coming from? Maybe they were trying to drown him slowly? Actually, he'd probably die from boredom first.

The stumbling footsteps of that incompetent moron could be heard as they echoed across the empty walls as he made his way down the spiraling staircase to the cell.

"Master Ryuin wants to see you." Crum said as he pulled a ring of keys from his pocket and released Wes from the wall.

The Orre trainer massaged his wrists where the cuffs had dug in and left a nasty red mark. "Oh, really?" He asked and lifted an uninterested eyebrow as Crum dragged him to the stairs.

The lanky man laughed, "Did you really think you could fool the boss? He's smart you know." He announced.

Wes hissed at the comment. "He isn't smart, he had a _knife_." Crum laughed again.

"Yeah, the boss loves his knives!" He smiled.

Wes shook his head as Crum pushed him up the stairs. "What have you done with Rui?" He demanded.

Crum scratched his head, "I think the boss had a talk with her and den sent her to Master. Well, anyhoo, Master wants to see _you_ now! Can't keep him waiting now can we?" When Wes remained silent he huffed. "Aw come on, it's gotta be betta en hangin' on that wall all day."

"I just want to see Rui." Wes murmured.

* * *

A/N: Geeze, I'm only into the fifth chapter and I already have thirty-two characters! Oh, and about the Tatsu accents; Lance has a strong one, Clair has a mild one and Vance impersonates a Kanto accent.

I assure you, thought the plot may not be progressing very far at the moment, this is a very long piece of fiction and all will be revealed as it progresses. I've planned out thirty chapters so far and I still have a lot of the plot to work through.

I don't know sod all about ships so I'm sorry if I got anything wrong in that aspect. ; And their disguises… have you noticed in Pokemon that even just a different hairstyle can fool the characters? A little sad really.

I've noticed everyone seems to sigh a lot as well. Sigh


	6. Enter Ryuin

**The Incarnation Pokemon – **I'm guessing you only think Lance is "kinda" cute since I almost killed him in the second chapter. Hm, and don't fret… Wallace is in the next chapter 

**Gaby Stones –** Thank you for reading and reviewing even if you only understand some English. I love Eliteshipping! If you continue to read I hope this doesn't confuse you too much as I _love_ confusing people.

**Lightning-Strike** **–** Grammar has never been a strong aspect of me. But the battle on St Anne? I'm trying to improve on the battle scenes for when the Legendaries really get into it. Oh, and when you read Vance's dialogue and click you should scrunch up your face too… just for effect, heh.

**Redemmo** **–** Getting rid of Jayshow shall be fun… but he is an important character…

**A/N:** Eep! I was going to update this sooner but I wasn't in the writing mood, more of an arty mood, so sorry if anyone was waiting. If people still like it I'll strive to get the next chapter up within a week, maybe? Boy, I'm really starting to like Vance, really am! Well, just a couple more chapters and the deep plot finally begins! I also noticed this is in a C2 category, good thing?

Aha! And I'd like to thank Lightning-Strike for the super Beta! Cut all my mistakes down… but if any are left they'll be mine. Thanks again!

Onwards!

Notes

"Talking"  
_Thinking_  
((Psychic communication))  
Pokemon speech  
'Phone calls'

The Dragon Homeland  
Chapter 6

"The boss's gonna take you to Master," Crum explained as he dragged Wes up the spiraling staircase from the dungeon. "You'll be glad to see that little girlfriend of yours."

"Rui is not my girlfriend."

"What? But she's a girl… and your friend," Crum snickered in his mousy way.

Wes sighed and hung his head lower, "don't try to lighten the mood with stupid puns." Crum shook his head and changed the subject.

"All this stuff I hear about you Orre scum is true is it?"

"Why do you insult me then ask me to agree with you?"

"I'm just making small-talk, jeez." Crum trailed off and shoved the Orre trainer up against the door to Vance's study. "You listen here you… _thing. _The Boss knows what your girlfriend can do so, I'd say to just go along with what the Boss and Master say… for your own good of course." He warned, and after receiving no response pushed Wes through the huge double door so the boy landed on his back.

Vance looked up from the far side of the room with Rui. "Took your time."

Crum bowed slightly, "Sorry, Boss."

Rui screeched when she saw her companion and made a dash for him but Vance caught her around the waist and tossed her back against the wall. "What did I tell you?" He shouted then grinned at the pained expression the girl held.

Xanthe pushed herself off the wall. "You know, you shouldn't beat up women, Boss, much less a small girl."

The Tatsu whipped around to face his peon. "Out! Get out! I want to talk with these two in private." Xanthe held a hand to her heart in mock hurt and trudged out of the room dragging Crum by the collar of his shirt after her.

While waiting for the two peons to stumble through the doorframe Vance idly fiddled with his trusty pocket-knife like it was a normal thing to draw circles on your palm with the blade. Once he was sure they'd left hearing range he began pacing the length of his study. He looked up from the far end of the room towards Wes and began to say something before the snagger cut him off.

"Cut the damn crap and tell us what you're gonna do!" He demanded.

Vance chuckled and tilted his head to get a better look at his index finger as he ran the blade across it. "I'm afraid I'll not have the pleasure, tch, of explaining it to you. No, Master will tell you, tch, what will happen in your future with us."

"I said cut the crap!" Wes shouted, slightly winded, and struggling to his feet in his malnourished state, Vance chuckled again.

"My, my. And here I was under the, tch, impression the trainers from Orre were, tch, more rugged. I guess not all stereotypes are correct; you can't even, tch, handle a couple of days in the dungeon." The Tatsu shrugged.

"How can two people who look so much alike be _completely_ different?" Wes hissed.

"I assume you are referring to my brother" Vance mumbled and stabbed the small knife in the wall violently as he said "brother," making Rui whimper on the floor. "Well tell me this!" He twisted the knife out as he spun around to face the boy. "If he's completely different and _so_ trustworthy why did he send you out to me? Surly he knows I'm a danger, hm? And without Pokemon? Heh, you are so naive."

"Don't listen to him!" Rui shouted, "the Masters are _good_!" Vance whipped around and she screamed as the metal heel of his boot connected with her chest.

"STOP THAT!" Wes thundered and dashed to Rui.

"Oh no you don't!" Vance whispered throwing his arm out and slashing across Wes' face with the pocket-knife. The Orre trainer stumbled back holding his face in shock while Rui whimpered in pain. "You just don't get it do you?"

Wes brought his hand away from his cheek to find blood smeared across his sleeve and face. He stared at the copper-red substance on his hand before slowly lifting his head up to meet Vance's glare. "You really _are_ a sick twist!"

"I try." The eldest Tasu remarked, examining the blade tarnished with blood and wiping it across his own hand. "Thank you for the blood mister Grammar. It will help with the… process…"

Rui shifted her position on the floor to get a better look at her companion. "D-don't listen t-to any-anything they… say. Don't!" She moaned.

Vance scowled down at her; "You _are_ a whiny brat aren't you?" He turned fully around and placed his booted foot on her neck adding little pressure but enough to make her panic and struggle against her bonds more.

Wes flicked his hand to one side spraying droplets of blood across the carpet and wall. He growled at the action then stormed up behind the other man raising his Snag Machine fist. However, just as he was wishing he still had the Snag machine on him to clobber this dragon, Vance hunched forward slightly and burst his wings out to full span from his back and caught the Snagger sending him skidding across the floor.

The eldest Tatsu flexed his wings as they expanded to full span. He folded the knife back in on itself then brought the metal tinged wings forward to cover his torso as he scowled at the girl under his foot.

"Never come up behind a dragon, whelp!" He exclaimed to the air and pushed Rui up onto his shoulder, her screaming all the way, and stalked over to Wes grabbing his upper arm and storming out the double doors to his Master's chambers.

* * *

The old Ghost Master shuffled into the Karada meeting room to find Will circling the Machine like he was stalking his prey. 

"Let it be, William" she shook her head.

The first Elite halted his fierce pacing but turned his back to Agatha. "I can't. That psychic dragon creature is planning something… I can _feel_ it."

"I'm sure you are just paranoid, William. Neither Lance nor Clair seem to be affected in any way; I assume it is safe for the time being."

Will shook his head and began his circling again examining even the smallest detail of the Machine as if it would reveal all the mysteries of the Tatsu race to him if he stared at it long enough. He glided past the seat brushing his hand across the headset while running his other hand across the dials and controls.

"It really is an outstanding piece of technology" he whispered continuing his circling and examinations whilst Agatha watched him with a wary eye.

"It is… are you perfectly certain you are in… good health, Mr Morag?" She ventured, as the man never ceased in his stalking of the Karada Machine. "All the radiation could be affecting you in ways we may not notice."

The psychic sighed wistfully and halted his pacing but never removed his hand from the Machine; "fine, fine I'm sure."

Agatha backed away from her young friend with caution as his face turned blank. She gripped her cane in front of her to steady her shaking hands and racing heartbeat and spoke to which she believed to be in the room; "maybe you should step away from the port, Mr Morag."

"Or maybe I shouldn't, Miss Witchout."

Agatha gasped and backed herself up against the huge oak meeting table in shock as she continued to watch the psychic. She pointed a shaking hand at him; "you have _no_ right to be here!"

Will jerked his head to the side and laughed. "I have every right to be here, and I believe I'll stay for a little while longer if you may." He turned his back to her and braced both hands on the control panel of the Machine. "Oh if only I could use this body… to… ah well." He turned back to the Ghost Elite. "Tell me, how are the young dragons fairing?"

"If you are referring to Mr and Miss Anson I refuse to answer your question."

Will laughed lightly again. "You always were stubborn, and I'm sure you _will_ be up until the day you depart from this planet. And believe me, if I did not have to maintain a connection with this port you'd find yourself departing much sooner than you'd perhaps like." The psychic lifted a hand to his face and clenched it into a fist; "I can _feel_ the _power_ flowing through these veins. Begging, pleading, to be unleashed! And now, now it's only a matter of time."

Agatha growled and clutched her cane in anger. "Leave now, Ryuin!"

Will smirked at the woman and sat down in the seat of the Karada Machine crossing his legs at his ankles. "I'm honoured you remember me, Miss Witchout, truly honoured." Agatha growled again as Ryuin controlled the psychic's body to twist in the seat for a look around the room. "This is a disappointment. When I first discovered the Machine in the Plateau I had originally believed that it would be heavily guarded… but know I see it in the _basement? _How easy it will be to take." He shifted to look back at Agatha, "so, why haven't you told your little naive disciples about me? You know I have a _terrible_ ego."

"When the time comes I shall – "

"Agatha!" A voice shouted from down the hall.

The psychic smiled, instantly recognising the voice, "looks like I shall have to depart far earlier than first anticipated. So long."

The Ghost Master watched with nerves on the tethers as Will leaned back in the seat then fell limp against the headrest as the owner of the voice ran in through the door.

"What the 'ell is goin' on? I felt summat from the Machine!" Lance said as he stopped next to Agatha. "Agatha what… Will?" He looked at the Elite first for a short moment then back to Agatha, "what 'appened 'ere?"

The elderly woman scuffed over to Will as she spoke; "I'll explain later…"

The Indigo champion tilted his head to one side. "Cheers… I guess…"

* * *

"Crum you moronic fool, open the door!" Vance ordered of his peon as he struggled under the kicking feet of the girl on his shoulder and the struggling boy he grasped by the arm. 

The lanky man dived for the door leading into their Master's chambers. Unlike the rest of the castle in the godforsaken ruins of Tatsu this small section had the décor of a king. Strange murals covered the walls all depicting the same thing; dragons slaughtering knights. A fine red carped adorned the otherwise cold stone floor and elegant chandeliers hung from the ceiling sparkling in the light given from the many candles they held. Finally Crum unlocked the huge double doors and followed Vance in, keeping his distance from both the man's wings and the woman behind him; either one could seriously injure him in his opinion.

Vance dropped Rui on the floor and yanked Wes down with her and stood over them, wings outstretched, blocking their escape towards to doors as Crum and Xanthe closed them. He bowed, "Master, the Orreish as you commanded," he presented them with a wave of a hand and a flap of wings.

A shadow in the far corner moved as two bright green eyes fixed themselves upon the two Orre companions. "As I see, good work."

Vance actually beamed at the shred of praise and folded his wings down, feeling less threatened. After all, the boy had given an enormous amount of trouble when faced with the small pocket-knife, not nearly the reaction Vance would've thought a boy to show when threatened to within an inch of his life. However, a Tatsu with their wings had little to fear from anyone other than the Ice people up on Mt. Kori.

The shadowed creature sauntered out from the shadows revealing itself to the room. A pure black dragon walking on hind legs swishing it's long tail to-and-fro as it marched down the steps of its pedestal. The torso of it matched that of an average man's while its head was elevated much higher by a long thin neck to tower over people. A long ponytail of black hair protruded from the dragon's forehead and tied neatly in two long braids both at the end and the roots, two swept back horns curled around on themselves while a small single horn pointed up from the snout of the Pokemon.

The piercing green eyes explored the two Orre trainers as Ryuin came to a halt in front of them. "I assume the task was not too difficult?" it asked Vance.

The Tatsu jumped at the voice. "Oh, tch, no not at all… though, tch, the boy did…" he trailed off with an insecure whimper as Ryuin held up a three-clawed hand to silence him.

"Then we shall begin the process. Come." He motioned with his hand and a hue of orange light surrounded both the Orre natives as he moved back up to his pedestal, the pair floating after helplessly.

Vance rung his hands in a nervous fashion and watched. "If I may, I'd like to, tch, know how your, tch, experiment went."

The dragon grinned a toothy smile; "You have no need to be so nervous around me, old Tatsu."

Vance winced at the name. Since he was the oldest of the three remaining Tatsu, Ryuin always referred to him as the 'old Tatsu,' while Lance was the 'middle' and Clair the 'young'. "No Master."

Ryuin dropped his hand and Wes and Rui fell to the floor at the foot of his pedestal. His long ears fell back against his neck. "And besides, when you get too nervous you click more, and I _do_ have trouble trying to understand you."

Crum snickered behind his hand but was silenced by a glare from both Vance and Xanthe. Vance hated it when people talked about the click in his speech like it was "okay" when he knew it was _not_ normal. And Xanthe didn't like it because she _knew_ Vance had a very fragile sense of normality… not to mention she thought it was a cute character definer.

"It went well in most aspects" Ryuin started. "I was able to take full control over that psychic and had a nice little chat with the witch… of course then your _brother_," he pointed at Vance, "just _had_ to come running when my presence was detected." Green eyes grazed over Wes and Rui. "Of course, soon even _that_ will change. I will be free to travel the System in search for Giovanni's mind."

"We have Master Kravos' map of the System, but it doesn't say where the prison of Giovanni's mind is." Vance said.

Ryuin gave a throaty laugh as he pulled Rui away, despite her screams, from Wes and held her against the wall with only a sliver of his psychic abilities. "Of course it doesn't, only a fool would write such important information down for future generations to use. No, I only need the secret routes not used by the numerous bonded trainers, and to keep away from that infernal psychic."

"If only you could possess more den one body at a time." Crum said from the door.

"Quiet!" Xanthe hissed and slapped him; she grabbed his hair and looked over at her Boss and Master. "Sorry, sirs. He just doesn't know when to shut up, do you Crummy?" The man squeaked when she pulled his hair but otherwise stayed quiet.

"Yes, well," Vance stumbled for his words and clicked again, "I wonder how, tch, Lawrence is doing with the Legendaries…"

"The man has an obsession!" Ryuin cackled, "of course he'll find them! Now shut up! I need quiet for this."

Wes rubbed his arm across his face smearing the blood and got to his feet. "What do you want with us!"

The dark dragon loomed over him. "I want a body!" He stated as Rui sobbed against the wall, "and I'm using yours."

The snagger paled at the answer to his question. "Y-you want… what?"

Ryuin clasped his hands together and moved closer to the teenager. "I want a body familiar to William Ira Morag the Elite first of the Indigo League.

"I know who Will is!" Wes spat.

"Very well," the dragon spoke. "My… associate… Nascour of Orre has supplied me with the information that you, Wesley Grammar, are a bonded trainer. That your _friend_ is a psychic. That I can use her to take your body."

"Y-you're _insane_!" Wes exclaimed as he backed up against the wall near Rui. Ryuin matched every single backward step of his with a forward one of its own. "Nascour, that scum. Nothing he says is ever, _ever_ true!"

"No matter," the dragon stared more, "he'll serve his purpose eventually." And with that the dragon lunged forward and seized the snagger in an iron grip. "Just as you'll serve yours!" Spinning around the dragon tossed the boy to the ground across the room narrowly missing Vance.

The Tatsu jumped to one side to avoid anymore possible harm as Ryuin trekked down the steps of his pedestal again to reach Wes. The Orre native gritted his teeth and rose to his hands and knees as he coughed out the pain of the impact with the stone floor hardly softened by the red carpet.

"You see, if I am to obtain the Earthly Orbs, or as you know them: the Red and Blue orbs, from the Cave of Origin I will need a disguise. I will not trust such an important task with another person as all you _humans_ are untrustworthy and _vile_!" Wes gritted his teeth again as Ryuin cast him into a wall with a little psychic attack. "You see, it is guarded by a competent trainer, Wallace Riverer I believe. He is in strong contact with the Ever Grande League and they are in complete alliance with the Indigo League no matter what the Indigo President believes." He tossed the snagger to the floor once more and held him there with the orange light. "The Karada Machine is in the basement of the Plateau surrounded by numerous Master trainers… and yes, I do believe the Chosen one is also present. And while it may not be actively guarded I cannot risk setting off alarm bells. So I am using _your_ body to do this."

Wes growled under the pressure, "so what do you need Rui for?"

"I need a psychic capable and experienced enough to perform the transaction, and while Morag would have been a more suitable candidate, I could not just take him without people noticing. She, however…is disposable."

Wes chuckled, gaining surprised expressions from Ryuin's peons but not the dragon himself. "Awfully long winded aren't you?"

Ryuin swished around to face Rui catching Wes, deliberately, with his tail knocking the boy to the side. "Ah, the more I explain the more open your mind is. The more open your mind is the easier it is to get inside."

"So, what? We're just gonna share my body?"

Ryuin hung his head and clenched his fists, "no. _Your_ mind will inhabit my body, unfortunately." When the dragon saw the smile creep up onto the boy's face he continued; "of course, you will _not_ have my powers. A Psychic's power is all in the mind; I will be taking that with me." He walked back up to the female Orreian; "you will do this now!"

"No!" Rui shouted as she struggled against the orange light holding her.

The Ancient dragon gave a sadistic smile, "then I shall enjoy forcing you." Rui snapped her eyes shut as she awaited the blow but jumped, as much as her bonds would allow, when she heard a cry of pain.

Ryuin had turned back to Wes and thrashed the boy with his tail. Rui screamed and Vance ran up to her and slapped his hand over her mouth to quieten her so his Master could _enjoy_ the cries of pain as he thrashed the boy with his tail again and again. Crum and Xanthe backed themselves further up against the double doors ready to bolt in case the dragon got carried away and injured them too.

She screamed for her companion again as Ryuin brought his tail down vertically on Wes then stepped back to admire his work. "How terribly fun." He stated to the boy.

Wes lifted his battered body from the floor and kneeled, struggling to stand but held back by the pain. He shuddered as he felt the copper taste of blood in his mouth but swallowed it back unwilling to show weakness and yield even as his body betrayed him and grew weaker by the second. To add insult to injury Ryuin held out his hand down to him in a gesture of help.

Wes slapped the clawed hand away and finally spat out some blood. "Have it your way." Ryuin remarked and spun around to thrash the boy with his tail again when Rui screamed through Vance's hand causing the dragon to stop. "Let her speak," he ordered Vance never once taking his eyes off of Wes.

Vance pulled back his hand and stood aside as Rui glared death at him. "I'll do it! I'll do it as long as you leave us alone after."

The eldest Tatsu looked at her with an amused look. "Hah! I really don't think, tch, you're in the position to bargain."

"No you won't!" Wes shouted as he struggled to his feet. "We'll find a way out of this _without_ doing anything they want!"

"You're too confident" Ryuin said, "_far_ too confident." The dragon stood back and threw his arms behind to unsheathe two blades from the back of each of his hands respectively. Rui shrieked as the blades came into view and Vance slapped his hand over her mouth again.

The dragon stalked forward dragging the tips of the blades across the floor where they cut through the carpet and screeched as they scraped across stone.

Wes' eyes turned wide as he noticed the long blades protruding from the dragon's hands. "You can't - " he mumbled. Surely Ryuin couldn't kill him if they were to switch bodies, putting a lifeless mind in another body could kill that particular body too.

Wes curled his arms around his chest as Ryuin jabbed a blade forward and pierced his left shoulder. The dragon laughed at the howl of pain from the boy and the wail from the girl as he lifted Wes up from the floor with the blade.

"Feel good?" He asked as the boy battled the pain and hoisted him even higher. Rui screamed and tried to break free from both Vance and the psychic power but came away fruitless. Ryuin whipped around and hurled Wes back down to the floor, this time facing Rui, and pinned him with the blade through his shoulder to the stone splattering blood everywhere. "As for your assumptions, no I am not going to kill you, but this has served its purpose." Ryuin said as he looked up at the sobbing Rui then scowled.

Was Vance trying to comfort her? No, never…

"I believe your friend is willing to help… and you are in no state to provide conflict so we may begin."

The Orre trainer moaned and feebly rested his spinning head against the cold stone and watched the room spin before dying down into a black blur, Ryuin's intelligent green eyes studying him as he fell from consciousness.

* * *

Isaac wandered the halls of the Indigo Plateau content with the empty corridors as many people, both workers and trainers, had left to see the most recent battles the League was holding. He smiled down at Icemist's egg as he walked down to the canteen with a slight skip under step; after all it wasn't every day an average citizen of Kanto got to meet the Prime minister. The Prime minister! 

_Do you think he'll shake my hand?_ He thought.

((Sure!)) The egg wiggled slightly; ((he'll shake everyone's hand.))

_Hm, I hope he will_. The young boy continued to pace down the halls and began whistling lightly. Apparently the Prime minister was hopping in his personal helicopter post haste to further examine the many complaints filed against President Jayshow. He wasn't sure, but he thought the Hoenn trainers May and Brendan had something in store to further incriminate the President, and even though he'd only been in the Plateau for a couple of weeks he'd be _glad_ to see the racist idiot gone. Icemist wriggled in her egg again.

((Master is happy.)) The Lugia stated, ((but Master should be careful too.))

Isaac stopped immediately. "What do you mean?" He asked aloud startling a passing worker. He smiled an embarrassed apology to her and started off again to talk with his Legendary privately.

((I can feel something, something coming)) she started, ((Mummy does too, _and_ Sheen and Mistie.))

Isaac gulped. Why was it Icemist could make him feel so nervous when he was generally nervous _all_ the time? "S-so what is it then?"

((Don't know… but it's coming))

Isaac's eyes darted around the hall as he trudged along, mood dampened. It was enough he felt out of place in a building full of Pokemon trainers all competing for Master status like their life depended on it, but to mix with them then told something bad was coming! He felt overwhelmed. Everyone had hard-trained worthy Pokemon and he had a Vulpix, Pichu and Bulbasaur – not that there was anything wrong with the actual Pokemon – they just weren't the battling types. And then there he was; with a _Lugia_ egg!

He jumped at a sudden bang down the hall but heaved a relieved sigh when he spotted the Orre trainer. "Whoa, you almost gave me a heart attack." He said and covered his racing heart with a hand. Wes looked up at him with a blank expression. "Eh, what's up?"

"Nothin'" the trainer mumbled. _Oh what's this? A Lugia? _The Orre trainer stumbled up to the other boy and looked deep into his face.

Isaac shivered being stared at so intently and backed up slightly, only then noticing the other was injured. He jumped forward and waved a free hand over the boy's left shoulder feeling the heat of a deep cut and blood.

"We have to get you to Mercury, quick!"

Wes knocked his hand away and stared at the egg, "Don't bother." He croaked. Ryuin winced; _damn vocal chords… damn humans!_ A squeak cut through his thoughts and he scowled.

((You're not Wes!)) Icemist accused the mind. ((You're in the wrong body!))

Isaac jumped when he felt the baby Lugia move violently in the egg making it jump. _What's the matter!_

((That's not Wes! I-it's that… _thing_!))

Ryuin scowled at the boy then the egg, deciding on what to do. This was not part of his plan, to get caught! But to come across a Legendary with a practically useless human was too good an opportunity to pass up and it meant one less for that collector Lawrence to obtain. And after all, this Wes character originally stole Pokemon for a _living_, before he turned clean, so the Masters would just assume he'd reverted to his old ways and ditched the girl. Yes, that'd do.

Ryuin grinned at the pale boy and lunged for the egg grabbing it with his good arm and running down the hall. Isaac held his position hands poised as if he were still holding the egg before he blinked and chased after the snagger yelling obscenities.

"Hey, give that back!" Isaac barked as he chased the trainer down the halls.

((Master, Master Isaac!)) Icemist screamed in his mind. ((Help me!))

"Heeey!" He shouted again and growled at the lack of people in the halls to help. _Fine, only one thing left to do! _Fumbling for a Pokeball while trying to keep up with the snagger he managed to select Bulbasaur's. "Come on, Bulbasaur. We have to get Icemist back." A small flash of light and soon his Pokemon was running at his side, "we have to do something!"

The grass Pokemon huffed at the vague order and cast two long vines to catch the snagger's ankles. Ryuin, however, hopped over each whip and made a sharp turn into a side room. Isaac and Bulbasaur skidded to a halt on the highly polished floors and ripped the door open to the deluxe suite for guests of the Plateau. Slowly stepping across the threshold the room appeared empty of other people as they scanned around.

Bulbasaur sniffed the air catching the distinct sent of blood and pointed a vine behind then and behind the open door. Isaac carefully turned around hauled the door shut to reveal Ryuin stood flat against the wall. "Aha!" He held out his hand, "give Icemist back!"

"Close" Ryuin smiled, "but not good enough!" He clutched the egg and bowed his head as Isaac glared, suddenly his head shot up and his eyes glowed a vivid orange knocking the wind from Isaac.

Ryuin jerked his head right and Isaac flew in that direction against to collide with a bookshelf scattering books everywhere. Releasing a hand from the egg Ryuin shot a baseball sized attack at the Pokemon and hit it with enough power to toss the grass type across the room as well as blowing a small hole in the floor. Ryuin chuckled when neither the boy nor the Pokemon moved.

((Master! Bulba!)) The baby Lugia wailed in distress.

((Don't worry little one,)) Ryuin spoke telepathically, ((I'm sure we can find another for you to bond.))

((I want Master!))

The dragon in human clothing ignored the further wails of the Lugia as he checked the halls. _Now, to find the machine._

Leaving the room, leaking wisps of smoke from the burning carpet, he jogged down the still empty halls recalling his instincts to track the Karada Machine. Left, right, right again, then left; the corridors of the Plateau were like a maze to those unfamiliar with it. Still not passing a single soul he descended the steps to the Karada meeting room.

The door was open a crack as he peered through with the limited perception the human eyes possessed to spot the Ghost, Dragon and Psychic Master still crowded round the Machine. Ryuin scowled yet mapped the route to the room out in his memory and turned to leave; now was not the time to liberate the Karada port from the Plateau.

"Maybe you should go t' Mercury anyway, ya know, for a check up."

"No, no. I'm sure I'm fine. But… but what did it say?"

"Nothing in particular. But Ryuin has always been very ambiguous."

"How come you never told us, Agatha?"

"I didn't believe the time to be right. You and Clair should not be burdened with this at such an early stage. And you William, it seems, also play an important role in this plot Ryuin has shaped."

Ryuin halted his steps away and turned back to peep through the crack again and listen to what they were saying about him.

"I believe another meeting is in order" Agatha stated. Both Lance and Will groaned and the woman scowled. "Well I'm sorry, but the truth has to be told. Lance, get Steven and organize a meeting."

"Right-o!" Ryuin jumped back from the door as the Dragon Master left the Machine and headed in his direction. "Oh! Ey up, Wes. Back already?" He asked after he opened the door and noticed the boy stood in his way.

Wes sighed with relief, apparently he didn't sense anything. "Ah, yes. For now. We, um, couldn't get much information and Vance's traveling to Ecruteak City for an apprenticeship and I jus' came back to collect my Pokemon."

Lance tilted his head to one side and hummed. "Okay… in't that Isaac's egg?"

"Oh, yes, it is. We where discussing the legend of Lugia and Ho-Oh and the connection with the Dogs. He let me take I-Icemist to get a feel for her – he has contact with the three Dogs." Wes explained.

"Sure," the Tatsu breathed, "I'll get ya Pokemon then. Just don't let 'em near Vance."

"Got it" Wes said and looked back at the Machine. If this Tatsu hadn't noticed him then surly no one else would as he's sent the other Tatsu on a phony mission to Johto. "Oh, I was thinking…"

Lance stopped halfway up the stairs and turned his head back to look at the snagger, "yeah?"

"Well, I know everything about Lugia, Ho-Oh and the Dogs now but… is there a time when I can take a look at the Cave of Origin to learn the Groudon and Kyogre legend?"

"Hm, if you want to get into the cave you'll 'av to 'av Wallace take you. So… you'll have to catch 'im late afternoon, I think." Lance tilted his head back, "I think Steven said he teaches piano in the evenings so yes, you'll have to catch 'im when 'e's in the Gym. Why? When are you plannin' on goin'?"

Wes smiled, "some time after this is over, I guess."

Watching the dragon turn the corner he felt more confident to enter the Karada meeting room with Agatha and Will. The Psychic Master was still studying the Machine while Agatha kept on the vigilance for anymore strange behaviour on his part.

"Good afternoon, Wesley" the woman greeted. "Where is you companion?"

"In Ecruteak, I came here for my Pokemon." The psychic Master gave him a sideways glance but other than that ignored him; he didn't trust strangers. "I was wondering if I could use the System to get there?"

Will muttered something inaudible under his breath while Agatha smiled down at him. "You'll have to wait a while longer, we're trying to track a being in the System. All transportation through has been halted, only communication lines are still active."

Wes scowled, "but I can't leave Rui too long, she'll panic."

"I understand your dilemma, Wesley, " Agatha assured, "but we do not need the hassles of others within the System. Please wait."

The snagger stalked over to the meeting table and sat on the surface waiting for his Pokemon. As he watched the Masters fiddle with the Machine he couldn't help but smirk. Checking the Memory or the Trade-Link weren't going to help find him… or the paths he'd traveled. No, only doing that while he was still _in_ the System would work. He rapped his fingers across the wooden surface, he just wanted to get into the System, get to the Cave of Origin, obtain the Earthly orbs and waste the city - Gym Leader or no.

It was highly aggravating he could only travel _to_ the Machine from Tatsu. Only the _Machine_ could send a person away to another destination of their choice.

The door opened and interrupted his musings as Lance brought forth his Pokemon, he counted them. Espeon, Umbreon, Plusle, Meganium and Ampharos – all there! Couldn't leave any details out and arouse suspicion… now all he had to do was wait patiently for the Masters to finish with their vain attempts of tracking him before he could use the System.

Abruptly all the small blinking lights of the Machine popped on as a broad screen materialized above the initiation platform and the youngest Tatsu's face appeared.

'Karen's in the 'ospital!' Clair greeted with.

"What?"

'Karen, she's in the 'ospital! H-o-s-p-i-t-a-l!'

The Ghost Master noticed the panicked state the Gym Leader was in and spoke for her young friends. "Calm down, child. Now, you say Karen is in the hospital? What happened?"

'Yeah! Yeah, we're on the boat an' these Pokemon attacked an' Karen fell in the sea… and now she's in the Cherrygrove town hospital!'

"How are you and Abby?" Agatha asked with concern as Will and Lance just stared at the translucent screen, not blinking.

'Fine, fine! We're fine. But what about Karen? She's seriously injured an' the 'ospital doesn't have the apparatus to help her!'

"Calm down, " Agatha soothed. "We'll send William through the System to get her."

Will finally snapped his attention from Clair to look at Agatha, "we will?"

"Yes! We can track Ryuin at a later date; right now our new priority is Karen. We must get her to Mercury."

"Right yes!" Will agreed and stepped up onto the platform ready to travel the System to Johto. "Ready, Lance?"

"Of course!"

Ryuin watched as the panel under the Tatsu's hand lit up with light and hundreds of tendrils of the same light ran across the surface of the port to gather on the large platform the Psychic stood upon. A small ring of light accumulated at his feet and rose up slowly as it consumed his body and mind taking him into the System. Lance breathed through his teeth as he wrenched his hand away from the control panels as the Machine began to feed from him again.

Ryuin scowled once more. Now he'd have to wait even longer to use the System. "Damn it."

* * *

Lorelei and Lance sat in the Elite common room whilst everyone else ran around in un-choreographed panic around the Dark Master while Mercury treated her in the hospital wing. The Ice Master sighed, it was eating her up inside that she couldn't be with her friend during one of the most important times she needed her. The heavy pregnancy depleted her energy and the emotional stress of her best friend's current condition didn't help; so they sat in a comfy silence while she rested. 

Lance rolled his head back to look at the ceiling and whistled lightly. Just as he was dozing off in the silence of the room Lorelei hunched forward, "Oh!"

"Hm?" He mumbled without moving or opening his eyes.

"Oh! Oh, dear…"

"Oh you aren't thinking about Karen again are ya? Everyone knows Mercury's the best doctor around." Still not moving he continued; "Speakin' of which, she told you not t' worry 'cause you're due date is soon."

Lorelei glared at her feet, "scrap the due date."

The Tatsu grinned with his head back. "You're not _nervous_ again are you?" He asked turning his head to one side and trying to doze again.

Lorelei sighed and looked back at him, "Lance, my waters just broke."

"That's nice…" He murmured trying to sleep and not paying attention. The Ice Master groaned and cracked his knee and he shot forward, "ow! What?"

"My waters just broke!"

"Eh?" He mumbled in shock.

Lorelei hung her head and held her hands out to him. "Water broke. Baby coming" she explained.

"Oh… oh! Oh Lugia!" He jumped to his feet panicking, "bu' we can't go t' Mercury! We'll 'av to go to the public 'ospital!"

Lorelei watched him as he jumped over the back of the sofa and ran out of the room completely forgetting her. She leaned back in the sofa with her hands on her abdomen and waited with a bothered expression. A few moments later the Indigo Champion came running back in and jumped over the sofa again to look at her.

"Come on we 'av to go!" He exclaimed and held out his hands to help her up. She gripped his hands and he led her out to go to his car and then the hospital.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, this was mostly a little set up to show some of what Ryuin can do and keep Wes and Rui in Tatsu where they shall stay! Anyhoo, would you mind reviewing? It always brightens my day and if I know people like it I get on it faster. Even though this chapter was rather late, eee. 


	7. The Cave of Origin

**Gaby Stons – **You're using a translator to read this fic? Wow, that must take a while. And yes, Lance is very stupid at the moment Thanks for reviewing!

**Redemmo –** I try to at least start on the next chapter a week after I post but I always get caught up over on DA with the illustrations I do of this. Thanks for the review!

**The Incarnation Pokemon – **Wallace has arrived and shall stick around too! I hope you're satisfied with my characterization of him Thank you for reviewing!

**Maia's Pen –** Ahaha! You're brilliant you know that? You pick up on all the things I want people to notice and it makes me smile. Like the things Clair says to the subtle humour I slip in. Maybe others pick em up too but you always comment. Anyhoo, the beginning of the fourth chapter may seem odd at the moment but Ash and his friends _shall_ be in this soon… unfortunately. And thank you for reviewing!

**A/N: **Whoopie! Our computer crashed big time and i couldn't get Word up when we re-booted it. Fortunately as I'm writing this on WordPad our new computer should be arriving soon. I really need to get a move on with this.

Ahaha! With these new features on i can pinpoint all my closet readers! It's fun to see how many places your fic goes, haha. God i _hate_ closet readers, it's so disheartening...

Rambling on there, anyway, onwards! And if you thought chapter five was a long one…

Notes

"Talking"  
_Thinking  
_((Psychic communication))  
Pokemon speech  
'Phone calls' and  
'Tatsu language'

The Dragon Homeland  
Chapter 7

Ryuin's body heaved on the cold stone floor as Wes fought to channel the pain away from his consciousness. Not only had the despicable dragon injured his own body and stolen it but now the wretch was channelling the pain through to _him_. Rui was kneeling at his side whilst the dragon's three cronies watched them with unwavering eyes from across the long room.

Rui was livid. More so with herself than anything else. She watched the dragon's body with reassuring eyes whenever Wes looked up at her, but truth be told she was in conflict with herself. While this was her best friend she was hugging it was also the body of a pokemon everyone would grow to despise in the near future, and while the body had no power part of her was telling her to finish it. But that wasn't just in her.

She could never do such things.

The Psychic leaned back on her feet as Wes growled in pain again, and since he had no psychic abilities he could only use the deep vocal chords of the dragons and not a voice, but it was obvious he was in pain. So obvious it hurt her eyes to watch. To a passer-by it would seem the creature was suffering from a severe case of mental trauma when in reality this experience could very well destroy his mind.

Not while it was still in the body though. No, it would be when Ryuin and Vance would force her to switch their minds back again. The dragon could easily survive the process as many times as need be, but Wes on the other hand…

She was trembling with fury and fear.

* * *

"So, when do we spring the trap?" 

Brendan groaned in annoyance, "when the Prime Minister gets 'ere!" Honestly, how're we meant to get Jayshow in trouble if the Minister ain't here?"

"Ah, right" May grumbled then rung her hands together and grinned "this is gonna be great!"

"Yep! Now lets see what we've got so far… rope?"

"Check!"

"Hair dye?"

"Check!"

"Mobile phone?"

"Check!"

"Football?"

"Check!"

"Spray paint?"

"Check!"

"Dunsparce?"

"Check!"

"Woman in labour!"

"Check!… No wait, what?" May rapped her clipboard with the pen and looked for the source of the voice in confusion.

Brendan jumped up from the sofa when the Indigo Champion barrelled into the room. "Whoa, Lance! Thought you went to the hospital?"

Lance looked around sharply, "what? Oh yeah, uh, I mean no!"

"Calm down or you gonna hurt yourself, Lance" May advised then looked around him and the room. "Why're you here anyway?"

"Ah, yeah, the um, the" Lance scratched his head, "ah yeah! Karen!" He blurted.

"She's still in the hospital wing, y'know" May informed.

"I know that!" Lance snapped causing May to squeak and skitter back. "Oh, sorry…" he sighed.

"Okay" Brendan nodded his acceptance of the situation then looked around the room too. "Um, where's Lorelei?"

The Dragon Master froze at the question for a long moment then cringed. "Uhg!" He ran over to the door and ripped it open to reveal Lorelei leaning against the frame with a fed up expression. "Sorry, sorry" he bowed slightly and followed her into the room. "That's right, worry 'bout your own condition."

Lorelei swatted at him as she fell down to sit on the sofa near Brendan, "I'm not a cripple, y'know."

The Latias bonded girl jumped from leaning on the wall to touch the ice trainer, "why aren't you at the hospital?"

"Oh, I couldn't leave without knowing how Karen was."

"Mercury is treating her," May stated, "or course she'll be okay."

"I'd still like to – ah!" Lorelei gripped her middle with an arm while her other hand sought out anything to hold. Unfortunately that "anything" turned out to be Brendan's hand.

"Oh jeez!" He cringed as the woman crushed his hand during the contraction.

May jumped forward to the Ice Master again, "you really got to go to the hospital."

"I've been tellin' 'er that for the last 'alf an 'our," Lance murmured. He jumped when Lorelei pointed a threatening finger at him, glaring with all her might and growled.

"Shut up, you!"

Brendan whined, "could you let go of my hand...?"

"I'm a woman in labour. Don't mess with me" Lorelei growled.

"I think," the Hoenn girl started in a small voice, " I think you should _really_ get to the hospital. Really!"

Lorelei looked up at her as she spoke. "Yes… I'm sure you're right," she sighed.

Lance scowled, "oh great. I've been tellin' ya that for _thirty minutes_, then May tells you _twice_ an' you decide now's the time to go?" The two women glared death at him. "Fine, fine…"

"Has the contraction finished yet?" Brendan squeaked.

Lorelei dropped her eyes to the boy then his hand, "oh, yeah, sorry" she let go.

"For the love of Lugia can we go to the 'ospital?" the Dragon Master pleaded.

"What? Oh, yes, "Lorelei agreed and took her husband's hand to help her up from the sofa and turned back to Brendan and May. "Could you tell me how Karen is later, please?"

May nodded and patted Brendan on the back as he clutched his hand, "of course we will. Right?" She looked down at her friend.

"The pain," he muttered not looking up.

* * *

Wesley Grammar prowled the halls watching for people who might recognize him. With the Indigo finals brewing and the Dark Master and Ice Master out of action now was the time to use the Karada Machine. All high rank personnel where either surveying the battles, at the hospital with the Dark Master or just generally away from the Plateau. 

The Ice Master starting labour was a godsend for the Dragon. Not only did it cause more hysteria among the Masters but it also got the other Tatsu out of the Plateau and far enough away, hopefully, that he wouldn't sense anything or anyone using the Machine.

Ryuin moved further towards the Karada Meeting room through the deserted halls. _Thinking back on it, no one has found that child yet. And I still have one Legendary for my collection._ He preened as he looked down at the egg in his tight grip, _now all that is left is to obtain the Earthly Orbs from the Cave of Origin._

Recalling his mental map to the machine Ryuin walked the halls with wary eyes. If it was one thing he was used to it was sudden calamities befalling him at the most inopportune time. This plan was _not_ allowed to fail. Soon he'd have the Earthly Orbs in his possession and Giovanni's genius mind at his disposal among other things. It would begin soon.

The Red and Blue orbs. Did these humans have no imagination? Did they not bother to check their history? The orbs had been the royal treasures of Master Kravos and all other Dragon Masters throughout the ages of Tatsu history. Of course not even Vance knew the power they held, or for that master, their guardian.

Moving down the twisted stairs into the basement floor of the Plateau and the meeting room the place seemed empty of other life. He shuffled towards the machine carefully and placed the egg on the platform before turning to the control panel.

"Hm, the System seems to have taken in quite a lot of energy from those dragons for itself" he mumbled to himself lightly touching the panel. "If this keeps up soon there will be no Tatsu alive to this day."

"You!"

Ryuin jumped around to face the intruder. "How did you get in here without me knowing!" The dragon demanded the boy. _Blast! it must be this useless human's body!_

Isaac snorted as he stumbled over to the Karada Machine. "I couldn't care less. Now I'll be taking Icemist back if you don't mind."

"My, my. Aren't we confident now," Ryuin laughed. "Do you need to be knocked around the room to gain confidence or are you just generally worried about your egg?"

"Why wouldn't i be worried about Icemist?" Isaac exclaimed as he reached for the Lugia egg.

"Because," the black dragon snarled, "you humans are filth!" He lifted his arm and thrust the boy back with a swift punch. "I'll be taking this" he said as he stepped up onto the platform and seized the egg tighter.

Isaac ground out a string off obsanities as he picked himself up from the floor and glared. Ryuin smirked when he saw the boy dive for the platform and nodded at the control panels which lit up with a fantastic orange light. As normal the tendrils of light travelled across the machine to collect under the platform, but with the sheer power of the order from the dragon and the overwhelming urge to obey commands from a higher being the System sped up the process and Wes' body was gone before Isaac could connect.

Isaac stumbled through the air to land in a heap past the machine where he crumpled down.

* * *

"You didn't have to come down here with me, Drake." 

The Elite fourth of Hoenn glanced at his colleague as the two trainers made their way deeper into the Cave of Origin. "I'm not here for you" he gruffly voiced, "my dragons felt something was wrong."

The Gym Leader nodded lightly, "ah of course. God forbid you'd actually help someone" he murmured.

"I have a busy schedule to keep" the dragon trainer defended himself, "i cannot spend my time with raga bonds like you."

"Now hold on a second!"

Drake cut the man off quickly "they sense something powerful has arrived in our land. Something that does not belong here."

"Yes I'm aware of that" Wallace sighed, "if you hadn't noticed something _has_ broken through the outer guard wall."

"Don't take that tone with me" Drake warned stopping in his tracks, "i am an Elite!"

The Water Leader stopped and turned to the older trainer, " i know what this is about" he announced earning a sceptical look. "You're irate Steven appointed me Vice Champion."

"Not exactly" Drake shouted his voice echoing across the walls, "Steven spends very little time with usas it isI'm surprised he hasn't elected you to the Supreme Fifth!"

Wallace heaved a sigh. "You are beginning to sound very much like the President of the Indigo League. Can we walk in silence _at least_?"

"Just know that whatever is down here you will _not_ get in my way!" The old trainer said as he began walking again.

Wallace gestured with his hands and nodded, "fine, whatever, can we please carry on?"

* * *

The two Master trainers wandered the streets of Cherrygrove mulling over the events of the SS. Anne. Both Clair and Abby still had to find the Johto trainers that had been Chosen by the Karada System. 

Clair kicked a pebble out of her path and sighed, "I 'ope Karen's gonna be okay…"

"I'm sure she's fine" Abby smiled trying to reassure her friend, "mum knows what she's doing."

"Yeah I suppose," the Tatsu breathed. "But how on earth are we gonna find this" she took the slip of paper with the trainer's names on out of her pocket, "Marina and Kenta?"

Abby tutted and touched a slim finger to her cheek, "I thought we'd go to the region's lead professor… what's his name again?"

"Elm" Clair looked up, "he lives in New Bark town, the next town over from here."

The Elite Third grinned and nodded with renewed enthusiasm, "we better get a move on then!"

"It is a tad strange that the System is Choosing new trainers amongst this trouble we're 'aving with the Warui though" Clair pondered aloud.

"You people worry too much" Abby laughed, "I bet the System never sleeps."

"Of course it doesn't sleep" Clair said irritably " not with me an Lance feeding the damn thing all the time!"

As the two trainers began to leave the main market area of Cherrygrove and move into the more rural area of the town, the outskirts, Abby stopped suddenly. "Why do you feed the Machine anyway?"

The female dragon trainer rolled her eyes skyward as she continued walking. "If we don't then the System _will_ die" she stated simply.

With a small squeak Abby hopped to catch up with her companion, "but before it was brought to the Plateau it was dead… wasn't it?"

"The Machine was dead, the actual System wasn't."

"Soooo," Abby squinted her eyes "you got it working again?"

"Yeah, it's kinda like the kiss of life I guess" Clair's brow furrowed, "but there's only me and Lance who feed it , whereas if our _whole_ family were alive and feeding it the Machine would literally _glow_ with power." She looked down at the younger trainer, "shouldn't you know all this anyway?"

Abby coloured "I guess I wasn't paying much attention then, if it's not sports or Pokemon I… tend to zone it out" she laughed nervously.

"Sometimes I wonder how you ever beat the Elite."

"Me too…"

* * *

"Bruno! Bruno!" Lance came screeching into the former Elite's living room shouting the man's name. 

The man himself jumped out of his skin when he noticed the Dragon Master suddenly appear in his house and start shouting, "how'd you get in here?" he asked with astonishment. Not only did he live in a well guarded area of Indigo city with an amazing neighbourhood watch but his Pokemon also made great 'guard dogs'.

Lance stopped and looked up at the taller man, "well, you're door wasn't locked in any serious way."

"Good god, man" Bruno grinned "my door's double bolted with Onix skin!" The panicked trainer waved him off but didn't make a move to do anything else. Bruno watched him for a short moment before; "well?"

"Oh!" The lights turned on for the Tatsu, "is your wife home?"

"You mean, Judy" the fighter corrected with a blank face, "you never call her by her name _even _after she said clearly that you can."

"It's improper" Lance reasoned then shook his head " anyway, we need t' borrow summat off 'er."

"We?"

"Yeah. Well, Lorelei does, not me."

The ex-Elite looked around the room for any signs that the Ice trainer may have slipped in unnoticed while Lance was making a scene, and when finding no evidence of the woman turned back. "You didn't leaver her in the _car_ did you? Dear god she's pregnant, Lance!"

The man in question scowled, "no I didn't leave 'er in the car!"

"Then, where is she?"

Lance stopped breathing as he stood frozen to the spot then winced and ran to the door standing back while he opened it quickly. Lorelei stood hunched over in the doorway glaring death at her husband.

Bruno laughed "if looks could kill you be dead five times over, Lance!"

"I don't know what I'm doing…" he mumbled to himself helping his wife through into the living room but Lorelei simply swatted him away and walked over to her old colleague.

"Afternoon, Bruno" she greeted with a smile, " I was wondering if Judy was home?"

"I asked that too… for the record" Lance voiced from the doorway.

"I don't think so" Bruno hummed ignoring the younger man, "this is the time she goes to help with the church ceremonial crafts fair. Is it anything I can get you?"

"Yes!" Lance shouted and moved over to them with three long strides.

"No!" Lorelei countered her husband quickly.

The Indigo Champion huffed and crossed his arms, "but then we can get t' 'ospital quicker if Bruno gets it."

"No, it's woman's business."

"Well if we don't go fast you'll 'ave the baby righ' 'ere on the floor and you wouldn't want Bruno to see that would ya?"

"Don't be insensitive, Lance!"

Bruno watched the couple fight a while longer trying to find a good opening to interrupt them but when finding none cut Lance off and spoke. "I have five children, I'm sure I can get you what you need."

"Good!" Lance turned to the man, "she needs some new underwear 'cause of the… sprayage."

"Lance!"

Bruno heaved a hearty laugh as the Ice Master laid into her husband, pregnant or not Ice always beat Dragon. As he left the room and went upstairs to fetch the items he couldn't stop himself sniggering. The two had been married for about a year now and never stopped arguing. But they weren't 'real' arguments as some may say but more 'playful'. Each time they'd start shouting about either something so insignificant or irrelevant they always, _always_ took jabs at each other about the same things. Lance and his peculiar accent and Lorelei and her constant need to tidy.

Of course neither really meant it and everyone knew that, they'd always argued and disagreed about most things since they day they'd met yet it didn't matter. It just meant that their relationship was more fiery than most others; his own actually. Judy was his rock, he often told her, and she loved him for it. He smiled when he heard the shouting subside and returned with a bag full of the things him and Judy used when another baby was coming into their family.

"There that should do it" he smiled and dropped the bag on the dragon trainer, "and some other things too."

"Thank you" Lorelei smiled warmly then turned back to Lance, "and I think you'd better drive now" she patted his shoulder and shuffled out of the door. Lance laughed nervously and ran out after her.

"We'll come see you later!" Bruno shouted as they left.

* * *

The dank path leading down deeper into the Cave of Origin seem a little different to the Gym Leader. "Something has happened already" Wallace whispered. 

"Well I should think it has" Drake said loudly enough for his voice to echo.

Wallace scowled and hissed, "quiet!"

"My dragons have a better sense of unnatural substances" Drake started "they are after all _dragons_!"

"Will you be quiet!" Wallace hissed again through his teeth "and stop doting on your Pokemon. We have a serious problem here. Keep your mind on task."

Drake grunted as he followed the younger man deeper into the cave. Everything _seemed_ normal as far as he was concerned. The few Pokemon that inhabited the area, such as Zubat, where keeping their distance, but they always did that when they sensed powerful Pokemon or adversaries around. He huffed as he stood in a soggy patch on the floor and stopped to wipe his boot free of the substance. However, as he dropped his torch to the floor to get a better look Wallace rushed over to him and knelt down.

"This, this" he mumbled quietly to himself while running a slender finger through the clear matter, "this is saliva."

The Dragon Elite kicked out his foot to push back the Gym Leader and stood again, "and why is that so important? It'll be from any of the Pokemon down here in this blasted hole."

Wallace shook his head, "no, not this amount" he stood up again to look deeper into the cave. "Something _big_ is moving around down here."

"Well then" Drake motioned for a poke ball, "what ever it is, it's gonna be in for a world of pain" he grabbed Flygon's pokeball.

"No!" Wallace hissed grabbing the man's wrist and taking the ball, "do not be so brash. We don't even know what we're up against."

Drake nodded harshly and snatched Flygon's bal back and clipped it back onto his belt and started off further into the cave. Wallace trailed the man at a slower pace to take in the scene.

_First the outer guard wall was destroyed, he thought no Pokemon from this area can even cause a dent in the wall so it must either be a citizen of Sootopolis or a Pokemon from a different region. But then that brings up the question of how a Pokemon indigenous to a different area found it's way into the city. He took his hat off and ran a hand through his hair still following the older man. I wonder… no, better check up on the orbs first._

He strolled up alongside Drake and nodded towards the huge stone doors just ahead of them. "First we check if the Blue and Red orbs are still in their original chambers, as I'm sure both Abby and Flannery would notify us if something where to happen to Kyogre or Groudon."

Drake grunted "well then I'm sure they'd notice if the orbs where tampered with."

"Not necessarily" Wallace started "as both the orbs have their own separate life force shielding them from even the Legendaries. Both Groudon _and_ Kyogre are perfectly capable of destroying them and would cause mass destruction on their part with no way for us to stop them."

The dragon trainer looked all around him before turning back to the Gym Leader. "Fine! Go check!"

"I do not need your permission" Wallace said as he stood before the giant doors. Tall and golden they created a vast difference to the gloomy cave walls and just screamed to be opened. He took a deep breath and pushed a door open with little force and entered.

However, no sooner had he entered the split chamber hallway did the golden door slam shut behind him with a mighty bang. He whipped around to watch the movement but it was too fast for him to escape back to the other side. Sighing he continued further across the cave floor to a crossroads.

"Strange" he mumbled to himself glancing back to the doors then the crossroad, "this has _never_ happened before."

If he were to take the path to his left then he'd reach the Blue orb's chamber, the path to the right and he'd reach the Red orb's chamber and back towards where he'd come from would lead to the exit but this new path straight forwards… Shaking his head Wallace turned left to check on the Blue Orb

Following further along the path the rushing of water could be heard and the reflection of the liquid traced the walls drowning the path in crystal blue. Upon entrance to the chamber a magnificent waterfall fell from the ceiling of the chamber to collect in an impressive pool the Legendary Kyorge inhabited. Wallace stepped forward onto a protruding rock ledge to address the orb.

"Kyogre, Creator of seas!" He shouted above the water's noise, "The Guardian of the Orbs addresses you!" He waited for the response but frowned when none reached his ears. "It is I; Wallace Clause Riverer Gym Leader of Sootopolis City Gym."

When still no reply came from the water beast he scanned the room for anything else out of the ordinary. Nothing. _Perhaps Abby has called him out _he pondered _oh well, looks like we'll have to do this the hard way._

Reaching up into a long sleeve he snapped a miniaturized poke ball from his silver bracelet and dropped it to the floor. A single blinding flash of light later and a Milotic cooed and sang her melody to her Master. Wallace smiled gently and dropped to his knees to stroke the smooth scales and oddly placed furry ears.

"Can you hop on over there" he pointed to the waterfall "and curtain the water please?" The Pokemon cooed again and nodded elegantly before slithering across the floor to dive into the pool.

* * *

Drake stared at the door and fingered Flygon's pokeball uncomfortably. When the doors had shut him out from the chambers he'd tried to push them open with the same ease Wallace had but to no avail. In fact, he couldn't even open them a scratch. 

He huffed and turned to lean back against the doors all the while tossing the pokeball up and down in a nervous fashion, and although he'd never admit to being worried about the Vice Champion he undoubtly was.

* * *

Milotic nudged the pedestal back into a slot behind the tremendous waterfall to part the water for her trainer. As the pedestal moved back a fraction a low rumbling was heard as the ancient mechanics of the old world were brought back to life and, unseen, created a blockade to trap the excess water and create a dry and safe path across the pool to the pedestal. The waterfall itself did not dry up but curtain aside to reveal Milotic, the pedestal and the door behind leading further on towards Kyogre's resting place. 

Hopping down from the small rock face Wallace swiftly crossed the dry path before the water had time to come crashing down upon him filling the pool once again. As he passed through the waterfall the pedestal clicked forward and all the restrained water fell forward again.

In spite of this and all else things seeming normal the Gym Leader gasped in horror as he noticed the pedestal no longer held the Blue orb. Spinning around to look in every direction his breathing became tattered and Milotic sang her song in a soothing manner.

"Oh no," his eyes widened "oh no!" He cursed under his breath and looked down at his Pokemon, "Milly, go check on Drake!" Ho ordered, "I'm going to Kyogre's resting place, hurry!"

The water Pokemon nodded quickly and shot through the bursting waterfall back towards the dragon trainer's direction. Wallace, however, gathered his thoughts and marched down the dark path towards where he _hoped_ Kyogre still was.

Emerging in the great space of the Sea's chamber Wallace immediately scowled at the lone figure across the room. "Hey you!" He yelled keeping his anger restrained, after all, everyone is innocent until proven guilty and he had no evidence that this boy had done anything… yet.

The blue clad figure jumped only slightly be otherwise ignored his call and hunched over again, Wallace glared. "Excuse me! What are you doing here?"

The teenaged boy jumped again and slowly turned around to face the Vice Champion, "so, you are the Guardian of the Earthly orbs."

"Excuse me?"

"The Earthly orbs; the Red and Blue orbs." Wesley said, "their Guardian, their _Keeper_."

Wallace bristled but nodded vaguely, "is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, not anymore."

"What are you talking about? And just _what_ do you think you're doing down here?" Wallace demanded firmly. "Only I am allowed access to the Cave of Origin."

Wes chuckled and grinned with lidded eyes, "yes, you'd think that wouldn't you."

"Answer me!"

"Very well" Wes said " I do enjoy a decent conversation now and them. I'm afraid I cannot find a good conversationalist back home." He stood to the full body height his human body could take and declared his name; "I am Wesley Grammar!"

The Gym Leader smiled and tilted his head to one side, "and now, you see, I just don't believe you."

Wesley's face paled as Ryuin watched the man with a judging eye, "What?"

Wallace crossed his arms and smiled more. "Steven has filled me in on all the details of the Karada System's most recent escapades and, also, that two bonded trainers from the Orre region have taken it upon themselves to keep watch on the Indigo Champion's brother, Vance. It is also to my knowledge that only a select few can touch the orbs without inflicting serious bodily harm upon themselves after possession; the orbs defence mechanism. Those few include the Tatsu, Kyogre and Groudon's bonded trainers and myself; so therefore you are a Tatsu! And the only Tatsu alive to this day are the _Ansons_ thus I can only assume you are not Wesley Grammar but a threat to us all!"

Ryuin stared the man down before he burst out into laughter causing Wallace to scowl. "You are an intelligent one Mr Riverer! How it makes me wish I had your mind and body in Tatsu!"

Wallace threw his arm out, "enough talk! Give me the Blue orb back!"

Ryuin grinned and pulled both the orbs out from a pocket to show the man, "these are returning to their rightful home! Tatsu!" Shoving the orbs back into the hidden pocket of the coat Ryuin then held up both hands and surrounded himself with orange light. Lifting himself from the floor with the psychic light he thrust himself forward, past Wallace and out of sight.

Growling, Wallace turned on his heel and ran after the boy.

* * *

Drake grumbled when he heard a dull bang on the other side of the thick doors and placed his ear against them to try to hear the murmuring better. He narrowed his eyes as he recognized the faint song of Milotic but reared back suddenly as a louder, more violent, bang reverberated through the doors and all fell silent. 

Stepping further back he could see the golden double doors vibrating slightly and an orange light escaping the little of space where the two doors met in the middle but before he had the time to call out Flygon the doors exploded open to reveal Wes standing perfectly still.

Drake growled gutturally instantly noticing something strange about the boy. "Who're you?" he hollered in rage, "what're you doing down here?"

Ryuin bowed his head ignoring the trainer and lifted himself from the floor again. Drake growled and instantly his trusted Flygon released himself from his pokeball. "Flygon?"

The dragon levelled its eyes at Ryuin and howled a call. Ryuin peered down at the Hoenn dragon and grinned slowly descending to stand on his feet once again on the solid cold floor of the cave. 'Alright, have it _your_ way!'

The Elite Fourth scrunched up his face in confusion. In all the 68 years he'd been alive he's never once heard a language like _that _before, not even on his travels that had taken him to the farthest reaches of the world.

Ryuin leisurely pulled out the Red orb, causing Drake to gasp, and held it out in front of himself. "Groudon, Creator of the Lands! The _Creator_ of the _Orbs_ addresses you!"

Drake watched all around himself as a roar rumbled the cave shaking loose pebbles and dust from the walls. "W, what are you doing?"

The golden eyes of Wesley Grammar glinted with a crazy light as a wide smirk crossed the face of the boy, "taking back what is rightfully mine." He thrust his arm up abruptly and the ground burst open showering the dragon trainer and his Pokemon with painful shrapnel.

Drake stumbled to keep his footing as the ground continued to shudder with the pressure of something pushing up towards the surface. Just as he fell Flygon tackled him across the cave floor as a giant clawed hand scooped up from the volcano of earth and slammed down on the spot he'd been previously standing.

"The bloody Hell?" His eyes widened with shock as the Pokemon below hauled itself out of the gaping hole in the ground at a snail's pace. "Groudon!"

Ryuin cackled as the Legendary Pokemon pulled itself to it's full height and screamed a roar that would make ears bleed, the Psychic dragon smirked again as Drake covered his ears and Flygon flattened it's head against the remains of the floor. In spite of his great pleasure the moment was ruined as the local Gym Leader emerged from the chamber.

Wallace's eyes scanned the room in alarm until a crumpled heap caught his attention. "Milly!" he dashed over to the fallen Milotic and petted her head as the Pokemon moaned with pain. Pulling out her poke ball he gently withdrew he yet remained crouched on the floor. "How dare you…" he murmured with quiet fury. Standing up suddenly he glowered at the Dragon-Boy, "how dare you come into this city and disrupt the balance of power. Do you have any idea what will happen to this planet if you take away those orbs!"

Ryuin frowned at the accusation and turned back to Groudon, finish them.

"No!" Wallace stepped forward but Ryuin was too fast hovering around the Ground Pokemon and out towards the cave entrance. The Water Leader looked up at the Groudon with unwavering eyes as the Legendary glanced to and fro from Drake back to him. "Groudon" he said with a levelled voice, "why are you doing this? Surely this has nothing to do with Flannery. Are you _that_ weak that you would rather take orders from a _stone_ more readily than your _bonded_?"

The Pokemon admitted deep rumbling noise from it's throat but otherwise stayed perfectly still.

Drake swallowed the lump in his throat and stumbled to his feet, "jus' let it go. In fact… we should go."

Wallace stared at the dragon trainer in disbelief. "You mean to tell me you would willingly abandon the people of this city?"

Just as Drake was voicing his response Groudon barked another roar and swept it's heavily armoured paw down across the ground knocking the trainers back and across the floor with the reverberations. Wallace immediately jumped to his feet and threw a poke ball releasing a Wartortle.

The turtle Pokemon looked all around then froze when it caught sight of the Legendary. "It's fine, Wartortle, we only need to distract it" Wallace told his new Pokemon. _Blast! Why didn't I train the Pokemon more? _He berated himself, _and I don't have anymore with me._

The Water Pokemon dug it's heals into the ground and spat out an average Water gun at it's opponent. The stream or water merely caused a drizzle against the Pokemon and only served to anger it more. Drake pointed at the Legendary and Flygon blew out Dragonbreath but that too did not affect the Legendary in any severe way.

Wallace frowned yet whispered something to his Pokemon and Wartortle inhaled a deep breath before shooting water at the walls with all it's strength. The high powered liquid scraped dust from the surface of the wall that mixed with each other to drop to the ground in a congealed mess.

Groudon howled as the muddy substance began to build all around it. Drake climbed on Flygon and the dragon flew his trainer across over to the Water Leader. "Just _what_ are ya doing?"

"It's called desperate measures."

Drake shook his head and recalled Flygon, "but you do realise you've blocked of the entrance to us" he said whilst Wartortle continued it's assault.

"Don't be daft, Drake" Wallace scowled, "there are other ways out of this cave!"

The Elite Fourth glanced back to the struggling Groudon then to his comrade again and shook his head. "Lead the way" he gestured with his hands.

"I always do" Wallace grinned and quickly recalled Wartortle and ran through the damaged golden doors where Drake shortly followed after.

* * *

Lance came tumbling out of the hospital room door and hit the wall. A nurse came rushing out after him, "she said you _can't_." 

Lance shook his head "that's not the word she said, _trust_ me." The nurse nodded whether she understood or not and waked back into the room. Lance looked down at his wedding ring and gripped it tightly pulling. "How come some people can get these off real easy?" he asked himself tugging at the ring and when failing to remove it looked back into the room.

Lorelei was talking nicely with the hospital personnel like it was an average day, but as soon as _he_ went in she screamed and cursed at him. Her personal favourite was; "You! You did this to me!" which made him want to laugh. Of course he never _would_ in front of her, but it just seemed as if that was something one would be say in a sitcom and it almost made him smile. Almost.

On the car drive to the closest public hospital, when he'd taken over driving and perhaps stopped panicking as much, Lorelei had told him to ask her _three _times if she'd like an epidural when the heavy contractions and labour started. Of course he'd agreed, but that was mainly due to the fact she was crushing his hand the moment she was talking and he needed _both_ hands to drive… and it hurt. And now that he'd just asked her just _once_ she'd thrown him out of the room in a fit.

Watching a doctor leave and enter the room again he followed behind the other man. Lorelei smiled at the doctor, "hello Mr-take-away-my-pain" she greeted the man with. The doctor smiled and nodded as Lance moved around the bed to sit in the chair at the woman's bedside.

The man in white tapped his clipboard and looked at the couple. "Mrs Anson" he addressed Lorelei, "you have dilated enough and we are going to wheel you down to delivery. Okay?" Both the Ansons nodded a two nurses came to wheel the bed to the delivery room.

Lance sighed as he followed them down the halls and tugged on his wedding ring again. Though, after this, he doubted he'd _ever _want to take it off.

* * *

Wallace and Drake turned another sharp corner as Groudon pursued them at a surprisingly fast pace for such a bulky Pokemon. They came to a screeching halt as a sudden spurt of lave gushed out from the ground. 

"Holy crap!" Drake shouted jumping back from the hot substance. Wallace huffed, there was certainly far too much of the stuff for a water gun from Wartortle to cool it down, not to mention the seemingly random outbursts sprouting up from the lake of fire so that excluded flying over to _that_ exit.

He grabbed Drake's shoulder and pointed in a different direction, "this way! There's another exit!"

The dragon trainer took off after the Gym Leader, "but we're going _up_ now" he panted.

Wallace looked over his shoulder to the older man as they continued up the path. "Well, it's either up… or down." He motioned behind them where a deep red light illuminated the cave and a low rumbling shook the walls.

"Point taken!" Drake shouted back.

As the two trainers sped up the path it was hit and miss as to whether a sudden blast of lava would consume them. Of course the higher they got the less intense the lava became and less frequent to boot.

Wallace pointed ahead to a sliver of bright light. "There! That's the way out!"

"Hallelujah" Drake praised loudly.

Groudon emerged at the far end of the long pathway and stomped a foot. The walls shuddered under the pressure and many pebbles and larger rocks fell lose scattering across the way and hindering swift movement. But when neither Drake nor Wallace showed signs of halting the Legendary threw forth a torrent of fire in a last ditch attempt to stop the trainers.

Both the trainers frowned as the concentrated heat raced up behind them and dived through the large crack in the cave wall letting the fire stream past and out into the sky. Shortly after Groundon thrust a clawed paw against the cracked wall knocking the trainers forward from the wall.

Wallace climbed to his feet and turned to look at the Pokemon through the cracked wall. "Not so tough now are you?" Groudon howled and threw another flamethrower of fire out into the sky while still crashing against the wall trying to reach the humans on the cliff face.

Falling to a stand Drake scanned the skies noting that the volcano top seemed much bigger than before. _Much_ bigger! He ambled to the rock's edge to look down upon the city of Sootopolis . "Ah, Wallace?" he murmured, "how high up _are_ we?"

"High enough" Wallace replied indignantly, "that's all that matters."

Drake swallowed. "Then, then maybe you should come look at this."

The Vice Champion eyed the other man's back thoughtfully, turned to look at the Groudon, and sauntered to the edge of the rock. The scene that met his eyes caused him to stumble back and fall to the ground.

The entire city at the base of the inactive volcano of Sootopolis was laying I ruins. All the buildings on all the different levels where demolished, some more so than others. The streets where torn up and scattered all across the area, the environment was drowning in the devastation, and no people showed their faces… or bodies. Large bodies of water flooded the remains of any human constructions.

Drake looked around in horror at the scene then, slowly, dropped his gaze to the man shivering on the floor. However, just as he was about to drop down next to the man Wallace shot up and pushed him aside.

"The town has been terminated!" Ryuin shouted with sadistic glee from Kyogre's back down in the large lake.

"You bastard!" Wallace cried down, voice echoing. "You monster!"

Ryuin levelled his gaze up near the clouds as he watched the Keeper of the Orbs holler down to him and bowed holding both orbs high.

"I'm going to get those orbs back" Wallace whispered harshly backing himself up against the wall and Groudon's watching eye.

Drake's eyes followed the man's movements, "what're you doing?" he asked in surprise. "No! Don't do it!" his eyes widened as the Gym Leader ran the short distance of the rock's ledge and dived off the edge. "You idiot!" He skidded to the edge himself and watched as the other man dove towards the water. Releasing one of his dragons never even crossed his mind in his shock.

Ryuin started when something splashed through the water spaying him with a drizzle of salty water. He growled as harshly as his human vocal chords would allow as Wallace resurfaced and tossed his hat aside.

"So, come to stop me, have you?" The man didn't reply verbally but the look on his face affirmed Ryuin's sarcastic question. "Have it you way" he grinned, 'Kyogre!'

The whale of a Pokemon pushed down into the water under the trainer, yet careful not to allow water to reach Ryuin, and surfaced so Wallace was kneeling on the Legendary's back. Ryuin stalked down towards the man but still kept his distance as Wallace glared more hatefully.

"Shall we commence?"

Wallace glowered at the boy and stood to his full height. "All I want are the orbs."

Ryuin nodded, "and that, too, is all I _want_!" He lunged forward and knocked Wallace onto his back and looked down at him. "Though I already _have_ them!" He jumped back and the orange light suspended himself from Kyogre as the Pokemon rolled onto it's back and forced the Gym Leader under the waves.

Wallace took a gulp of water in the abrupt movement and struggled to resurface. But every time he neared the penetration point Kyogre would drop a fin through the water and the pressure would push him deeper. Through the crystal clear water he could just about make out Ryuin watching him drown.

Shaking his head against the water he unclipped a poke ball from his bracelet and released Wartortle. Instantly the Pokemon understood the situation, if there was one thing Wallace liked his Pokemon to be it was intelligent, and breathed out a small bubble of air.

Breathing in the precious oxygen Wallace pointed up at Ryuin through the waves. Wartortle nodded and shot past the surface of the water to connect with Wes' body. Ryuin screeched as the Pokemon brought him down into the water where he, too, inhaled a fair amount of water.

* * *

Rui whimpered with concern as Wes suddenly sat up coughing and spluttering up water. She thumped the dragon's back as Wes took a few shuddering gasps of air only to cough up more water from his lungs again. 

From the back of the room Xanthe frowned. "Is Master okay?" she asked Vance with a concerned look.

The Tatsu shook his wings and nodded. "Master is fine. He is just channelling all human, tck, weaknesses that came with that boy's body back through to him."

Xanthe scratched her head, "but… that's his _own_ body he's damaging."

Vance shook his wings again then his head. "No. When, tck, Master returns to his own, tck, body he will simply, tck, channel back all the damages to the boy."

"His name is Wes!" Rui screamed from the floor. Vance nodded at her, smiling slightly.

The female peon instantly caught the vague smile and grinned at the Tatsu. "You're so smart, Vancie!" The Tatsu shook his head and rolled his eyes.

* * *

Ryuin tossed a small orb of psychic power through the water to ram Wartortle back and knock the creature out. Immediately Wallace withdrew his Pokemon and dove for the boy's body. He connected knocking the wind from the smaller body. 

Nevertheless, Wallace was still human and therefore had a severer disadvantage underwater whereas Ryuin could easily breath in he liquid and transfer the substance back through to his body in Tatsu thus he could stay submerged as long as needs be.

Taking advantage of Ryuin's struggles to regain his breath Wallace grabbed the Red and Blue orbs from the boy's inner pocket and kicked off. Ryuin ground out a silenced growl and held out his hands to grasp the Leader in his psychic hold and pulling him back.

Just as Ryuin reached out a hand to take the orbs back a different Pokemon came crashing down amongst the water and cracked Ryuin swiftly releasing Wallace at the same time. The Gym Leader grinned as Drake's Fylgon grabbed him and pushed off through the waves.

Ryuin, however, had other ideas and grasped the dragon's long tail just as they left the water. As the dragon Pokemon climbed higher in the shy Ryuin climbed around the dragon to reach out towards Wallace and tug away the Red orb from the exhausted Gym Leader's grip. Wallace cursed the psychic as Ryuin let go and hovered back as Flygon returned Wallace back to the cliff's ledge.

"What the hell on earth and heaven did you think you where doing?" Drake instantly laid into the younger man. "You're bloody insane!" Wallace coughed up a mouthful of the salty water and showed the man the Blue orb. "Well that's all well an' true, but couldn't you have gotten the _Red_ orb? The we could've gotten out of here" he pointed at Groudon still trying to reach them.

Wallace scowled, but smiled when Flygon approached him with his soaking wet hat, then crawled back over to the edge to look down at Ryuin. The psychic was watching him back with a steady gaze and a steady hand holding onto the Red orb.

Clearing his throat Wallace turned to look at the Ground dragon. "Could you take me back down there, perhaps?" The Flygon hesitated a while before nodding it's okay and reaching out for the man.

"No you won't!" Drake ordered of his Pokemon. "Now that we at least have _one_ orb we're leaving!" Flygon retreated back to his trainer quickly.

"Fine" Wallace whispered, "then I'll have to do this myself." He stood on shaky legs and reached the ledge's edge again ready to dive back down. Drake paled instantly and gave in.

"Fine, fine!" He waved his hands, "take him down, Flygon."

The dragon nodded enthusiastically and stood up behind the Water Leader and wrapped it's small arms around the man's torso and leapt from the ledge. He knew not of what this being was that seemed both human and dragon but being a dragon itself Flygon sensed something bigger was happening with other dragons from the different regions and wanted to help in any way possible.

Ryuin grinned when he saw the dragon flying back down and looked at Kyogre back in the lake. The Legendary was, itself, watching the turn of events and to further see who it's Master was when holding the orb. It all got so confusing when people kept switching the orb back and forth.

"One down one to go" Ryuin said once Wallace was within normal speaking distance. "Too bad the outer walls of the volcano are thicker than the inside walls, otherwise I'd have Groudon take you now."

"That's right" Wallace smirked, "for the moment you have a useless orb while I on the other hand," he held out the Blue orb as it shone with a bright crystal light and Kyogre began thrashing in the lake. He grinned. "All the seas are connected meaning Kyogre can hunt you down from anywhere whilst Groudon is trapped here on this island."

Ryuin grunted as his psychic abilities arose all around him. "I do not run!" The energy around his body exploded into the atmosphere and thrust Flygon down to the floor just outside the cave entrance.

As both trainer and dragon got back to their feet Ryuin aimed another attack at them from the sky. Wallace skidded out of the way but Flygon, being bigger, caught the brunt of the attack and was catapulted to hit the damaged outer guard wall.

Wallace glanced back to the dragon but soon whipped his head back to Ryuin as the psychic began to cackle. He came hovering down and around Wallace to stop just outside the cave entrance.

"Well then" Wallace smiled, "this is where we part ways!" He presented the lake with the Blue orb as it shone again with a precious light. Kyogre answer the call instantaneously and blasted out of the lake washing water across the shore and spraying the surrounding area.

The Legendary heaved up further into the air behind Wallace to come to a sudden stop on the hard land with a tremendous thump in front of both Ryuin _and_ Wallace.

"Do it!" Wallace thrust his arm forward and Kyogre drew in a breath and spurted a shocked Ryuin with a high powered Hydro pump that only a Legendary Water Pokemon could muster. Ryuin shrieked as the pressure pushed him back down into the Cave of Origin where he shortly teleported to safety. Flygon judged the power of the teleport and guessed the human/dragon had only travelled to the outskirts of Sootopolis but sensed he was leaving not returning.

The dragon limped over to Wallace, who was staring at Kyogre, and checked him over before returning for it's trainer. The moment Drake set foot on the ground he ran to the Gym Leader and also checked him over for injuries.

"You insane bastard!" he laughed heartily. "But I gotta admit you did it!"

Wallace gave the man a brief smile before turning back to look at Kyogre stranded on the land. "Well, better get him back in the water."

* * *

Back in Indigo City public hospital Lorelei was swaying her baby to and fro ever so gently while smiling and cooing down at it. Slowly she looked up from the child to the small window in the door. 

Both Lance and the doctor were clearly arguing about something. And she _knew _what that something was. With Lance being a Tatsu, but most of the world not knowing, he was bound to pass on some of the dragon traits to their child. And while that should've been a blessed occasion, carrying on the Tatsu line, it would be an oddity if a doctor _other_ than Mercury where to examine the baby.

For as far as they knew the baby could have wings and until those wings are released they frame the body of a Tatsu like the ribcage showing up on an x-ray as 'additional' limbs. And now the doctor was probably adamant about giving the baby a check-up and Lance was trying to deter him.

Eventually Lance had Dragonite, Pepper, stand in front of the door after he entered the room to keep everyone back until Bruno arrived to take them back to the Plateau. He sat down next to his wife and looked at their baby.

The nurses had been shocked to find the baby had vibrant golden eyes, like all Tatsu, when normally newborn babies had blue eyes because no colour had tinted them yet. And that was true, but a Tatsu's eyes were originally yellow then gained colour quickly as time passed.

Lorelei handed their baby girl to her husband as she stretched in the bed. Lance looked down at his daughter and scanned her for any oddities and when finding none gazed at her eyes.

Darling little golden eyes gazed back at him as Lorelei spoke. "So, she's a beautiful baby girl." Lance nodded. "And we're calling her Ryuanna?" Lance nodded again but Lorelei suspected he wasn't listening to her.

There was something odd about… Ryuanna was it? Something in her eyes just didn't seem right…

* * *

**A/N:** Lance is such a prat and so OOC with situations like these XD and I love battering Isaac around, it's fun to attack an OC but i don't know why. And Ryuin isn't a Mary-Sue (if he _could_ be one) I don't think… he's just very violent and/or sadistic. Wallace is so brave too… and called a Milotic Milly XD 

Science and logic really took a serious hit this chapter around too, heh. But hey, this _is_ Pokemon!

Anyway, these chapters aren't too long are they? Because they'll only get longer soon. And please leave a review on you way out, they're so encouraging.


	8. Mental breakdowns for a Psychic?

**Fire Wolf86 --** Aw, thanks. And thank you for the review

**Gaby Stons --** Ah, hello! Now that the baby has arrived Lance shouldn't be so incompetent from now on. And the name Ryuanna is entirely made up by me as far as I know, so I don't think a lot of people will know it, it's just a connection with dragons. Thank you for your review

**The Incarnation Pokemon -- **Haha, Wallace has had that Milotic since he was a child and that may be why she has such a cutesy name. And there is a reason why all the children are girls but that won't become apparent until a little while later. Thank you for the review.

**Redemmo --** That's a relief then. I always figured most people who read Pokemon aren't looking for chapters this long. Thanks for the review.

**II --** Haha, great name you got there. Thanks for the review.

**Maia's Pen --** I dunno, your last update was a long one The first part of chapter 7 here was a little ropey but I'm glad you liked it. And you're right; Lance _is _wonderful. Thank you for your review.

**Kigaromaru --** Oh? You've seen my DA stuff? I don't think many people pay attention to that. Thanks for reviewing too!

**A/N:** Whoo, eight reviewers this time, squeak! That was a nice surprise!

Anyhoo, **_WOMG! _**Sorry about this… _very late update_… we've just been having some medical problems in the family. But things are looking up so here I am! Has it been two months since the last update…?

Notes

"Talking"  
_Thinking  
_((Psychic communication))  
Pokemon speech  
'Phone calls' and  
'Tatsu language'

Quite a few notes now, eh? Anyway, onwards!

The Dragon Homeland  
Chapter 8

He stumbled back onto the stone floor bracing himself with one arm whilst the other hung limply from his shoulder. Looking up, the shadow of the creature loomed over him and he closed his eyes tightly and jolted himself onto his side to roll away from the blade that pierced the rock he'd been laying against.

Dragging himself to his feet the man gritted his teeth as he gripped his broken arm and whispered something under his breath, harshly. While he was speaking his rushed incarnation and as the soft blue light radiated from his arm a single bullet stole itself through the exposed area of his chest.

Will gagged on his own breath as he held the pistol still aimed at the man across the large room. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he watched the victim crumple to the floor and claw at his shirt in pain. Slowly releasing a shaking hand from the gun's handle he brought his fingers up to cover his eyes and his other hand played with the trigger of the firearm. The moans of the man across the floor filled his ears as the man grimaced and tugged on his tattered jacket covering himself with the blood from the gunshot wound.

Hand trembling violently and without even watching what he was doing he shot the person again and again in quick succession.

"Gotta do it fast! Gotta get it done…!" Will screamed at himself over the noise of the shots.

The shadowed creature dragged itself forward towards the psychic man and covered the gun with sharp hands and snatched it away from the quaking hands. The Psychic Master immediately pushed back from the weapon and the creature watching him. Standing back and watching his shaking hands the Elite First slowly stole a glimpse of his victim only to swallow back the bile in his throat and cover his face.

"I was hoping you wouldn't use this firearm" the creature stated "but rather your own power. Look, this human crafted object can't even take a life and do what is designed of it. You are above using such menial weapons Morag. I am deeply disappointed."

Will shook his head as his hands rose up to grip his hair. "S-sorry… Master Ryuin… I just don't think I'm able to take this… assignment. I will only disappoint again."

The dark dragon grinned. "Nonsense! Taking the life of one of your comrades is a simple enough task, you have the power to do so. Do it and you will be in full control of your powers! The fear of the power overtaking you will be all but a distant memory! Do it! _Kill_ your _former_ comrade!"

Ripping his hands free from his scalp the Psychic Master strode across to the injured man and held out a hand to him. Looks of bewilderment and fear watched the hand as the injured body heaved. While still reaching out to his team-mate a light purple aura surrounded both bodies and painfully slowly the injured man sat forward and bowed down on his hands and knees at the Elite First's feet. Coughed up blood and tears of pain mingled together as the aura grew to overtake control of the man's mind. With a flash from purple eyes the man crumpled and the aura subsided.

Will jumped back swiftly and covered his mouth with the hand he's just used to commit murder. His eyes darted around the room and then from the body to the dragon. "I-I-I-" he broke off and slid to the floor in a pain of his own.

Ryuin too looked around the room with satisfaction. "Brilliant. Killed without causing a horrendous mess. Good. It is good to have more talent on our side."

The Psychic Master mumbled and shivered as he tried to tare his eyes away from the prone form in front of him. He'd killed another fellow trainer… what would his Pokemon think of him now…?

He hung his head.

* * *

Lorelei bolted from her light sleep as a horrendous scream reverberated across the Plateau. Instantly she stared across the long room to the baby's cot. Looking back down she gripped the bed sheets and held them up to her chin, frowning. Glancing to her left the space in the bed her husband usually slept was still empty. Dragging her legs over the edge of the mattress she paced across to her daughter to check everything was fine with the newborn. 

"You're a little sleeper, aren't ya?" she smiled fondly down at the little bundle. Looking back across the room to the bed she furrowed her brow. "But, what was that scream?" Exhaling she chuckled softly. "Look at me; talking to myself" she turned back to lean over the cot, "daddy is still up… there's something wrong with him too… you don't know do you, Ryuanna?"

The Ice trainer hadn't seen her husband since they'd got back from Indigo Public Hospital earlier that morning. He was acting odd around the baby and kept glancing looks at the baby's face and eyes, he was even acting different _her_ too. At first she'd just thought he was nervous about hurting the baby as he'd told her Master Len of Blackthorn continuously dropped him, Vance and Clair, by accident of course, and they were old enough not to be too badly hurt. She'd always laughed at the two Tatsu whenever that subject came up.

Vance was a hypochondriac so he kept insisting he had short-tem memory loss every time he forgot even the smallest thing, and blamed his shortcomings on the Dragon Elder. It was nonsense really. He just never trusted the man again after the Gyarados incident.

Clair was just short-tempered with the old man, often scratching at his ankles after she'd hit the floor, or just jumping to her feet and storming off ranting all the while in Tatsu. Lance just sat there. Watching the other two for a while but usually followed after his cousin when she left; she was defiantly the 'leader' of the three. The two younger Tatsu never held a grudge like their eldest did, however. Since they weren't allowed outside the Dragon's Den there seemed no point to ignore one of the few different people they had to talk with.

Lorelei heaved a sigh. "I hope your daddy spills what's the matter with him soon. I'm not raising you alone!" She laughed light heartedly.

* * *

The door to the Elite First's bedroom flung open as Abby and Blue stormed into the darkness. Covering her eyes the blond girl knocked her Vaporeon out of her way and walked further into the room.

"Will? Will, are you okay? You… just screamed, right?" Peeking between two fingers she scanned the room.

The Psychic's bed was ruffled like the man had been tossing in his sleep and the many small things on the bedside table had been scattered across the floor. A small glass of water had been thrown against a wall as the liquid was draining from the wallpaper to the carpet among the shattered glass shards on the floor. The man's gun was laying halfway across the room, the metal reflecting a small purple light.

Abby followed the direction of the light from the gun with her eyes while still keeping a clear break to the door. Slowly her gaze met that of Will's across the small room. Blue hissed and crouched in front of her Master baring her teeth and puffing out the webbed collar around her head in an attempt to intimidate. The pair of glowing purple eyes fell to slits and resized a few time before Will dropped his head and retreated into the darkness.

Knitting her brow Abby pushed further into the room leaving a confused Blue at the door. "Will?" she ventured in a small voice. "A-Agatha said, said if you aren't… feeling well you should go see her straight away."

"I can't disturb her at this ridiculous time."

"But-but, Agatha said" Abby mumbled like whatever the elderly woman said was law.

Will dragged his gave to Abby. "You really shouldn't put so much trust in a single person… they'll only disappoint you in the end." Falling to sit on the floor he pulled his legs up to rest his face on his knees and rap his arms around his torso.

The Elite Third huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Oh stop moping! It's not the end of the world!"

"How little you know" Will laughed through his knees. He continued chuckling to himself and rolled his forehead.

Abby backed away from him a step. "You're starting to freak me out, Will" she said as the man continued to chuckle to himself and roll his head.

"I killed him!" He suddenly shouted, standing up and causing Abby to shriek in shock.

The scream from her Master was all Vaporeon needed as she launched into an attack and dashed across the room to tackle the Psychic and pin him to the floor in the blink of an eye. Abby shook her head and jumped forward again to look over Blue at the psychic man.

He was laying calmly under the paws of the Water Pokemon staring up at the ceiling, still with glowing purple eyes. Blue snarled down at him and clawed at his bed shirt with dangerous eyes and snorted out a breath of hot air into his face as another warning.

Abby stood back up. "I-I'll go get Agatha. Can you keep him, Blue?" The Vaporeon nodded never once taking her eyes off of her captive. The girl nodded and dashed out of the room.

The Elite First shifted under the weight of the Pokemon and turned to watch her. "You're a good Pokemon aren't you Blue?" The Vaporeon narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Why don't you let me up. I think I'm resting on some glass from the light bulb." Blue glanced at the light to see that it _had_ been shattered before looking back at Will and growling deep in her throat. "Yes, you _are_ a good Pokemon. Letting me up would be defying your Master. Of course she did only _ask_ you, not order you." He winced as Blue clawed heavily at his shirt again.

"Prroreon!"

Will smiled, "yes, yes. I get it."

* * *

The wide open waters passed swiftly under him as Ryuin sped further away from Sootopolis city with the Red orb safely tucked away in his jacket. The orange hue of his powers still surrounded him in the night's lightas he slowed down slightly after he'd gained some distance at the new speed. Eventually he came to a halt and turned back to look to the North. 

"Soon I will have both the orbs, Mr Riverer. And there is nothing neither you nor the Elite can do about that" he gloated quietly. His musings were shortly interrupted as a shrill ring pieced the air. Dragging his eyes away from the direction of Sootopolis he pulled out a devise from his jacket. "What?" he barked into it.

The caller on the other end of the devise chuckled richly. 'Always with the pleasantries Ryuin.'

"Is there a reason or something you want, to be calling me when I specifically ordered you to remain back, Lawrence" Ryuin stated automatically.

'As a matter of fact I do have a valid reason to call you' Lawrence said smoothly, 'my ship cannot stay airborne much longer due to your unforeseen complications.'

Ryuin growled. "Do not contradict me."

'I am merely informing you of my status' the man replied with his rich voice. 'If we are to reach the objective of this task I suggest you return to the ship at once before she depletes her fuel supply.' He waited a long moment before speaking again, 'that is of course just a suggestion.'

"I will not be belittled by the likes of a _human_. What is your position?" the dragon demanded.

'Exactly three-hundred miles South of Sootopolis; our agreed position.'

Ryuin snorted. "Very well. Hold your ground." He flipped the small devise closed and slid it in a pocket adjacent to the pocket holding the Red Orb inside the snagger's jacket. He looked back towards the Water City. "Soon we will have you, Mr Riverer."

Taking a sudden boost of energy he shot across the surface of the sea kicking up water as he travelled faster and faster with ease. With no obstacles in his way he was free to push his limits and test his stamina. After a sort period of time he curved up and broke through the cloud layer to come face-to-propeller with a huge yet magnificent airship.

The vessel wasn't like the average airship; this bore more resemblance to a castle than a ship. It was almost as if a person had attached six windmills to each leg of a castle and brought it up into the sky.

Ryuin hovered around the propeller and blasted up to the side of the observation deck making sure to avoid the whirring machines, the crushing winds proving a mere annoyance rather than a dangerous obstacle. As he reached out to tough the thick metal shell of the deck his aura exploded in a white light and he snapped back into sight at the head of the room.

The tall Lawrence III turned from the large window to look at the dragon. However, unlike a lot of the humans around the Tatsu Dragon, he didn't approach but waited for the black Pokemon to approach _him_. Whether Ryuin knew it of not; Lawrence was always calm, refined and in control, and in _charge of himself_. He wouldn't pander to anyone's needs or even to this Dragon's ego. And he was the only being that found it particularly easy to manipulate the Pokemon without it knowing otherwise.

Ryuin glided across to the man swiftly. "Is everything ready for the assault?" he snapped.

Lawrence smiled. "It is. However, I must say that this is a truly foolish attack."

Ryuin slowly turned his head on his long neck to look at the man. "I did not ask for your opinion" he said throatily. Swishing his vicious tail close to The Collector, who never even batted an eyelash at the motion, he stalked up to the viewing window himself.

Lawrence watched his body language. "Something troubles?"

The dragon leaned forward and pushed his face flat against the glass to get a clearer view of the ocean that lay ahead of the ship. "They have Kyogre" he stated.

"Mn, yes. We cannot underestimate them."

Ryuin turned his back to the glass. "But I have Groudon."

Lawrence crossed his arms over his chest and cupped his chin in a hand. "Perhaps we should just pick-up Groudon and leave Riverer be for the time being" he mussed. "The ship doesn't have a sufficient amount of energy to launch an attack on an already dead city." He looked blankly at the dragon to convey the hypocrisy of it all.

"The City is not dead" Ryuin replied dangerously, his eyes flashing. "It is very much alive. The people of Sootopolis aren't weak. And their Gym Leader is a strong human - physically and mentally. I could sense his resolve when I levelled the area. He will prove to be a problem if he chooses to pursue the Orbs and yet… he cannot be harmed…"

"What's this?" Lawrence feigned shock. "Ryuin complementing a human?"

The Psychic suddenly howled with laughter. "And by how he deserves it! I haven't even begun with my plans and already he's provided me with a problem!" He shook his head and re-fixed his eyes on the vast body of water again. "He also has Kyogre under his command. And if it were not for these Orbs he would stand above me in the climb for command of both The Creator of the Seas _and_ The Creator of the Lands" he rumbled darkly, the glass under his watch began to creak and crack slightly.

"Ryuin! Do not damage the screen. Any weakness in the structure of my ship will result in an inconvenience later in time." Lawrence said then turned to press a small button on the control bay to bring down the shutters over the glass. As the heavy armour clicked into action he sat down behind the controls in a large thrown-back chair and waited.

"We are returning to the volcano" Ryuin stated. "I must have the Blue Earthly Orb."

Lawrence squinted at the dragon but sat back in his seat and crossed his arms across his chest again. The whirring of the engines was silenced by the glass windows and the heavy gray shutters; the whole observation deck was drowned in a placid green light as the navigation system lowered a monstrous monitor showing the immediate area with the current programmed path shown in little red tracks.

"We have an estimate of twenty minutes to remain in Sootopolis airspace with enough energy to return to Tatsu." The Collector informed the dragon. _Maybe if you would take our suggestions and obtain a base in the Johto region we wouldn't have this inconvenience._

The Psychic Dragon whipped his head around to the man and glared. "The soil of these lands are ripe with filth and decay. Only the land of Tatsu is pure. Only there will I remain. Of course, if you'd done your job we would have Legendary power to feed from."

"And I presume Vance has been doing his fare share of the work too?" The rich voice questioned.

"Vance has been frequenting the Plateau, yes" Ryuin hissed. "The Master humans are too dim-witted to tell two different people from each other." The dragon shifted back from the shutters and strode to the middle of the floor space. "Have you secured the Lugia egg?"

Lawrence refrained from frowning at the question. "Of course. However, since she is a mere egg she has been taken to the incubator. When she emerges she will be placed into the devise. The incubator should accelerate the hatching process."

"Very well" Ryuin whipped around to look through the window shutters. "And soon we will have the power of Groudon and Kyogre. Secure Groudon first; it's power can be used to our advantage against Riverer."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry about the length of this chapter, but I _did_ want to update to show that I haven't just left this. Next chapter will be the usual longer length. I can just never decide if I want to write this or do those Dolls I do over on Serebii. But, awww, no Lance or Isaac this chapter 

There seems to be a lot of scene switching too Sweatdrop I also guess this is _TOTALLY_ an AU since we have Lawrence's ship, the Colosseum Crew, Indigo and Hoenn League all in the same time period, heheh, my bad.

Hm, plently of mysteries and stuff tooXD They'll all be explained eventually though!


End file.
